Is More Accountability the Answer? Think Again
By ANN LATHAM
“We need more accountability!”
This is a familiar cry. Executives, managers, and employees alike, all frustrated by delays and incomplete work, are demanding greater accountability.
What exactly do they want? They want clear goals, follow-up, answers, and consequences. They crave order and predictability so everything can go more smoothly. If necessary, heads must roll.
It is easy to see why. The norm in most companies includes many dropped balls, missed deadlines, crossed signals, and inadequate responses to requests and problems. The frustration and demand for greater accountability are totally understandable.
If management would just tighten everything up and take control, results would be easier to achieve for all. Right? Wrong.
The solution isn’t accountability. There are far too many situations where accountability practices fail.
When the work is unfamiliar and unpredictable, strict accountability, with its black-and-white goals and black-and-white follow-up, only highlights repeated failures as employees hit one obstacle after another. Accountability doesn’t make the goals, which are merely guesses in new situations, more reasonable. It doesn’t eliminate unanticipated problems. It doesn’t magically reveal to employees what they don’t know. And it doesn’t instantly create new skills. But it does generate feelings of disappointment, stress, anger, insecurity, and injustice. It does encourage employees to invest time and energy in developing excuses at the expense of achieving results.
When the goals require contributions from many employees, strict accountability doesn’t magically reduce dependencies and create autonomy. It doesn’t increase the impact of any one employee’s tiny piece of the puzzle. It doesn’t make less-skilled employees more capable, or less-committed employees more determined. But it does pit employees against each other. It encourages us-versus-them thinking and finger pointing. And it leaves employees feeling powerless, frustrated, and overwhelmed.
And when the work lands in the hands of employees who just aren’t highly effective, strict accountability sets them up for failure, not success. It doesn’t hand these employees self-mastery, critical thinking, interpersonal skills, patience, persistence, confidence, courage, discipline, or great communication skills. It doesn’t suddenly make them superstars. But it does leave many well-intentioned, hardworking employees at the mercy of the many obstacles common to humans and complex organizations.
These are just a few examples where accountability fails. Tighten accountability for employees in these situations, and you create losers, not winners.
The Power of Commitment
Now, if all your employees are either highly effective or have highly predictable days, great autonomy, and goals over which they have total control, then accountability practices will work great for you. But when you think about it, those employees probably deliver even without much emphasis on accountability.
No, accountability is not the answer. Commitment is.
Committed employees keep on plugging, surpass goals, constantly look ahead, and give no thought to excuses for missing the mark. They help each other and don’t point fingers. They are open to honest feedback because they don’t feel threatened. They see themselves as important players, not pawns in a game where raises, bonuses, promotions, and jobs are on the line.
Committed managers help employees identify and overcome obstacles. They team up to solve problems and don’t feel the need to hold feet to the fire. They build confidence and reduce stress. And they build the commitment of their employees.
When employees and managers are truly committed, they get the job done. Somehow. Collectively. It might not be pretty, but it works. They band together. They are inventive. They are excited and determined. Often, it doesn’t even really matter who was supposed to be accountable. They succeed because of their commitment, not because of accountability practices.
When it comes to getting results, nothing is as powerful as commitment.
To generate commitment, managers must partner with their employees. They must be true partners — partners who win and lose together. Partners who are obviously on the same team.
How do partnering managers behave? They:
• Treat employees as equals, needed for mutual success, not subordinates;
• Encourage employees to take ownership of their own success, on the job and in life;
• Listen, ask, answer, and offer — and resist the temptation to do more until asked;
• Provide honest feedback so employees know where they stand, know how they can improve, and develop self-awareness and self-management; and
• View the employment relationship as a win-win deal, which is created and ended with mutual respect, professionalism, and no shame.
When managers tap into the natural accountability of partnerships, which prevents either party from letting the other down, everybody wins.
Ann Latham is the president of Uncommon Clarity Inc. She has done projects in 28 industries, and her clients include for-profit organizations, such as Hitachi, and nonprofit organizations, such as public television and Smith College. Her words of advice have appeared in 85 media sources, including Bloomberg BusinessWeek, Forbes, MasterCard.com, MSNBC.com, and the New York Times. Her writing can also be found at Ann’s Clarity App, bit.ly/anns-clarity-app, and at uncommonclarity.com.
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Entrepreneurship Conference
The 10th annual Grinspoon, Garvey & Young Entrepreneurship Conference was staged Nov. 7 at the MassMutual Center in Springfield. More than 650 people representing 14 area colleges and more than 55 local businesses and organizations took in a full day of programming, including hands-on workshops, entrepreneur exhibits, a Shark Tank competition, and keynote speaker Parker Holcomb, founder of All College Storage Inc. and Research Habits Digital. Organized by the Harold Grinspoon Charitable Foundation, the Entrepreneurship Conference is held annually to inspire, motivate, and support college students to turn their ideas into small businesses. Students began the day collaborating on teams representing several colleges and universities for the “Change-It-Up” competition. They identified contemporary problems they see emerging on their campuses and aimed to create solutions based on rapidly changing technology and the expectations of students. From top to bottom: Audra Quintin (a Grinspoon Entrepreneurial Spirit Award alumna) and Blake Bryan, co-founders of East Coast Taps; Greg Lewis of Nudger presents the story of building his business as part of the Grinspoon Entrepreneurial Spirit Award panel; a student presents her business concept to the Shark Tank judges; Patrick Burr, principal with Feat Socks and Promo Lacrosse, and a Grinspoon Entrepreneurial Spirit Award winner, was one of 32 exhibitors at the conference.
March of Dimes Awards
The annual March of Dimes Signature Chefs Auction was held at the Log Cabin in Holyoke on Oct. 23. The event featured the presentation of several awards to people who have served the organization in various ways. At left, Dr. Glenn Markenson of Baystate Medical Center, left, receives the March of Dimes Citizen of the year Award from Western Mass. March of Dimes Board Chairman Ken Albano, an attorney with Bacon Wilson, P.C. Above, Nancy Mirkin, a vice president and commercial loan officer with Florence Savings Bank, receives the March of Dimes Charitable Leadership Award from Albano.
Halloween Costume Walk
The Chicopee Pumpkin Patch Party & Halloween Costume Walk was staged on Oct. 28. The well-attended event featured something for people of all ages. Here, from left, are Mauren Buxton, city Treasurer Marie Laflamme, Chief executive officer of Sunshine Village Gina Golash Kos, and Carol Campbell, President of Chicopee Industrial Contractors.
The following is a compilation of recent lawsuits involving area businesses and organizations. These are strictly allegations that have yet to be proven in a court of law. Readers are advised to contact the parties listed, or the court, for more information concerning the individual claims.
FRANKLIN SUPERIOR COURT
Frances Harrington v. John A. Rousou, M.D. and Cardiac Surgical Associates of Western MA, P.C.
Allegation: Negligent implantation of prosthesis: $30,000
Filed: 8/22/14
Roberta Ovitt v. First Transit Inc. and John Sierakoski
Allegation: Negligent operation of transit bus resulting in personal injury: $234,406.24
Filed: 8/14/14
Shelly Chapin v. Crooked River Corp. and Food City
Allegation: Negligence in property maintenance causing slip and fall: $100,000
Filed: 8/29/14
GREENFIELD DISTRICT COURT
Stiller Distributors Inc. v. Billy Whitaker d/b/a BK Tile and Stone
Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $4,752.04
Filed: 9/19/14
HAMPDEN SUPERIOR COURT
Ryder Transportation Services v. Mass Web Printing Co. Inc.
Allegation: Breach of contract for lease of a vehicle: $97,595.71
Filed: 9/26/14
Van Duc Tran and Charles Tran v. Chau K. Tu and Long Kim Le, individually, and Lucky Nails, LLC
Allegation: Breach of contract: $200,000+
Filed: 9/24/14
HOLYOKE DISTRICT COURT
Falcetti and Clark Supply Co. Inc. v. Hot Mama’s Acquisition Corp.
Allegation: Non-payment of supplies and services: $1,788.44
Filed: 9/4/14
Poly-Plating Inc. v. Package Machinery Co. Inc.
Allegation: Non-payment of metal finishing services rendered: $4,802.50
Filed: 9/8/14
SPRINGFIELD DISTRICT COURT
American Express, FSB v. Raymond Nadeau d/b/a Kare Realty
Allegation: Breach of credit agreement: $13,225.03
Filed: 9/19/14
Camelback, LLC v. LD Acquisition Co. 2, LLC
Allegation: Breach of cell-tower lease agreement: $17,000
Filed: 9/23/2014
Stiller Distribution Inc. v. Boston Carpet and Flooring Distribution Inc.
Allegation: Non-payment of goods sold and delivered: $2,586.94
Filed: 9/22/14
VK Transportation, LLC v. Viacheslav Chabanov and USA ALFA Transportation Inc.
Allegation: Non-payment for materials and labor: $6,910.57
Filed: 9/16/14
ACCGS
www.myonlinechamber.com
(413) 787-1555
• Nov. 19: ACCGS Government Reception, 5-7 p.m., at the Carriage House, Storrowton Tavern, 1305 Memorial Ave., West Springfield. Seize this opportunity to meet with your local, state, and federal delegation in an informal setting. Cost: $50 for members, $70 for general admission. Reservations may be made online at www.myonlinechamber.com.
• Nov. 25: ACCGS Pastries, Politics, and Policy, 8-9 a.m., at the UMass Center at Springfield, 1500 Main St., 2nd floor. Featuring MassDevelopment President and CEO Marty Jones discussing “New Programs for Gateway Cities and the Effect on the Region.” Cost: $15 for members, $25 for general admission. Reservations may be made online at www.myonlinechamber.com.
GREATER CHICOPEE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.chicopeechamber.org
(413) 594-2101
• Nov. 19: November Salute Breakfast, 7:15-9 a.m., at La Quinta Inn & Suites, 100 Congress St., Springfield. Cost: $20 for members, $26 for non-members.
• Dec. 4: Holiday Open House, 4:30-6:30 p.m., at the Chamber Office, 264 Exchange St., Chicopee. Sponsored by Charter Business. Free to attend for all members. RSVP requested.
• Dec. 11: Workshop 6: “Strategic Networking: Networking to Increase Profitability,” 9-11 a.m., at Days Inn, 400 Memorial Dr., Chicopee. Cost: $20 for members, $30 for non-members.
• Dec. 17: December Salute Breakfast, 7:15-9 a.m., at the Castle of Knights, 1599 Memorial Dr., Chicopee. Cost: $20 for members, $26 for non-members.
GREATER EASTHAMPTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.easthamptonchamber.org
(413) 527-9414
• Nov. 18: GRIST (Get Real Individual Support Today) meeting, 9-10 a.m. at the chamber office. No fee. RSVP requested.
• Dec. 11: Holiday Dinner Dance 2014, 6 p.m. Details to follow. Comedy show, dinner, and the big raffle drawing for $5,000. Call the office to sign up for a table at (413) 527-9414.
GREATER HOLYOKE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.holycham.com
(413) 534-3376
• Nov. 18: “How to Start and Maintain Your Business: Financing Your Business,” 5:30-7:30 p.m., in the executive conference room at the Holyoke Chamber, 177 High St., Holyoke. Series sponsors: PeoplesBank, Common Capital, Mass Cultural Council/the Artery, in partnership with Holyoke Creative Arts. This workshop will explore loans, grants, and other types of funds; property and loss of income; and full-spectrum lending. Cost: $20. To sign up, call the chamber at (413) 534-3376 or visit holyokechamber.com.
• Nov. 19: Chamber After Hours, 5-7 p.m., at Slainte Restaurant, 80 Jarvis Ave., Holyoke. Great food, door prizes, 50/50 raffle, and the popular Ambassador Bake Sale. Cost: $10 for members, $15 for non-members. To sign up, call the chamber at (413) 534-3376 or visit holyokechamber.com.
• Dec. 2: “How to Start and Maintain Your Business: Accounting and Taxes,” 5:30-7:30 p.m., in the executive conference room at the Holyoke Chamber, 177 High St., Holyoke. Series Sponsors: PeoplesBank, Common Capital, Mass Cultural Council/the Artery, in partnership with Holyoke Creative Arts. This workshop with touch on what you need to save, how often taxes have to be filed, quarterly withholdings, accounting and bookkeeping, software, personal assets versus payroll management, and tax-increment financing. Cost: $20. To sign up, call the Holyoke Chamber at (413) 534-3376 or visit holyokechamber.com.
• Dec. 10: Holiday Business Breakfast, 7:30-9 a.m., at the Log Cabin Banquet and Meeting House, 500 Easthampton Road, Holyoke. Sponsored by Holyoke Gas & Electric, Health New England, Holyoke High School Madrigal Choir, and Bresnahan Insurance. Business networking while enjoying a hearty breakfast and sounds of the season. Cost: $22 for members in advance, $28 for non-members and at the door. To sign up, call the chamber at (413) 534-3376 or visit holyokechamber.com.
• Dec. 17: Chamber After Hours, 5-7 p.m., at the Delaney House. Business networking event includes a 50/50 raffle, door prizes, and money (scratch ticket) tree. Tickets: $10 for members, $15 for the public. To sign up, call the chamber at (413) 534-3376 or visit holyokechamber.com.
GREATER NORTHAMPTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.explorenorthampton.com
(413) 584-1900
• Dec. 10: Joint Chamber Mixer for Greater Northampton and Amherst Area chamber members, 5-7 p.m., hosted by the Lord Jeffrey Inn, 30 Boltwood Walk, Amherst. Sponsored by Florence Savings Bank. Cost: $10 for members, $15 for non-members.
• Dec. 15: New Member Orientation, 3-4 p.m., hosted by the Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce, 99 Pleasant St., Northampton. This is the chance to tell us more about your business and how the chamber can best serve you. Cost: free.
GREATER WESTFIELD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
www.westfieldbiz.org
(413) 568-1618
• Nov. 19: Annual Meeting & Awards Presentation, 5:30-8:30 p.m., at East Mountain Country Club, Westfield. Event Sponsor: United Bank. Cost: $50 for chamber members, $60 for non-members. To register, call Pam at the chamber office, (413) 568-1618.
Farmington Bank announced the following:
Michael Moriarty
Joseph Kulig
Joseph Young
Candace Pereira
•••••
Jean Deliso
•••••
Morrison Mahoney LLP announced that attorney Jennifer Rymarski has been elected a Partner. Rymarski, who practices in the Boston-based firm’s Springfield office, serves a wide base of clients in the arenas of medical malpractice litigation, as well as employment, business, and corporate law. Rymarski has more than 10 years of experience as an attorney and more than 15 years of experience in the legal field. She has a diverse background in medical-malpractice defense work and general business law, communications, and management. Rymarski advises healthcare clients on litigation matters and other issues involving healthcare law. She also serves as defense counsel for court cases and Board of Registration in Medicine investigations and complaints. For general business clients, she offers business advice, including dispute resolution, collections, adherence to corporate and regulatory formalities, and negotiations concerning leases, contracts, financing, and bankruptcy. Rymarski earned a bachelor’s degree from Westfield State University, a certificate of paralegal studies from Elms College, and a juris doctor from Western New England University School of Law. She is a member of the Massachusetts Bar Assoc. and the Hampden County Bar Assoc., and is also licensed to practice law in Connecticut. She serves as a board member of the Children’s Study Home. Rymarski has been named a “Rising Star” in Boston magazine for four consecutive years.
•••••
Mary Hurley
•••••
Patrick McCann
Robert Herchert
•••••
Craig Smith
PeoplesBank Again Named a Top Corporate Charitable Contributor
HOLYOKE — PeoplesBank was honored by the Boston Business Journal with a “Top Corporate Charitable Contributor” award for the seventh year in a row. The bank was recognized along with other recipients at the publication’s annual Corporate Citizenship Summit on Sept. 10 at the Westin Copley Place hotel. The award was accepted by Douglas Bowen, president and CEO of PeoplesBank, on behalf of the bank’s more than 250 associates. Susan Wilson, first vice president of Corporate Responsibility at PeoplesBank, noted that, “through our Community Care Program, we have contributed millions of dollars to local nonprofit organizations that provide services to the residents of Hampden and Hampshire counties. Our bank associates are committed to the community through their own generosity as well. They enthusiastically volunteer their time to help local schools, teach financial-education classes, clean up parks, plant trees, and help revitalize neighborhoods.” Wilson added that the bank’s charitable-giving program focuses on academic excellence, community vibrancy, and environmental sustainability. She also noted that PeoplesBank associates devote an average of 6,000 hours to volunteer work each year, and that 48 of the bank’s officers serve on the boards of directors and committees of 115 area nonprofit organizations.
Southwick Forastiere Funeral Home Celebrates 30 Years in Business
SOUTHWICK — Forastiere Family Funeral & Cremation announced the 30th anniversary of Southwick Forastiere Funeral Home, which opened on College Highway in Southwick in 1984. “For three decades, we have had a professional and compassionate team caring for families in Southwick and surrounding communities,” said Frank Forastiere, president and funeral director of Forastiere Family Funeral & Cremation. “Building a connection within the community and earning the trust of the families we work with are important aspects of our longevity, and we hope to continue to provide the same quality of service for years to come.” Forastiere Family Funeral & Cremation has served the Greater Springfield area since 1905, when Frank M. and Carmela Forastiere opened the original storefront on Water Street (now Columbus Avenue) in Springfield. In 1911, Forastiere’s flagship facility moved to William Street in Springfield before finally settling on Locust Street in Springfield, where it still resides today. Colonial Forastiere Funeral Home, located in Agawam, opened its doors in 1980, followed by Southwick Forastiere Funeral Home in 1984. “We have a vested interest in this community. We care for its members during times of grief,” said Forastiere. “Our staff is dedicated to meeting the needs of each and every family that passes through our doors. That dedication means a lot to our clients.” For more information, visit www.forastiere.com.
Monson Savings Bank Wins Gold Community Champions Award
MONSON — For the second year in a row, Monson Savings Bank has won the Gold Community Champions Award given by the New England Financial Marketing Assoc. (NEFMA). This year, the award was based on the bank’s extraordinary measures to improve and increase financial literacy throughout its communities. While the award was given by NEFMA, in order to insure impartiality, the judging was done by members of the PennJerDel Bank Marketing Assoc. in Pennyslvania, New Jersey, and Delaware, so that there was no connection to any of the banks being reviewed. Efforts by banks and credit unions all over New England were considered. According to Vincent Valvo, the organizer of the competition, “we received a record number of submissions, yet we gave out a more limited number of awards this year. That’s a clear reflection that judges held the submissions to a high bar and only rewarded the best of the best.” Monson Savings was the only winner in the financial-literacy category in which up to nine awards could have been given (gold, silver, and bronze for large, medium, and small banks). “We were extremely pleased to receive this award,” said Steve Lowell, president of Monson Savings. “We have become increasingly concerned about financial literacy and the fact that many people lack the money-management knowledge and skills they need to ensure long-term stability for themselves. We’ve made this a strategic priority and are addressing the issue on many fronts, including teaching in the schools; holding complimentary workshops on important financial topics that are open to everyone in the community; partnering with MassSaves, a statewide effort to help people improve their financial knowledge and build wealth; and offering banking products and services specifically designed to help young people learn how to bank and save. Our people are working very hard at this, and I am so very proud of them.”
MassMutual Approves $1.6B Dividend Payout to Policy Holders
SPRINGFIELD — Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co. (MassMutual) announced that its board of directors has approved an estimated dividend payout of $1.6 billion for 2015, marking the third consecutive year the company has paid a record dividend to eligible participating policy owners and members. The dividends to be paid in 2015 reflect a dividend interest rate of 7.10% — maintaining the same rate as 2014 — for eligible participating permanent life and annuity blocks of business. The approved estimated payout represents an increase of $92 million — or 6.2% — over 2014, and reflects updated investment, mortality, expense, and other experience, as well as the distribution of other business earnings from the company’s asset-management and non-participating businesses. The 2015 MassMutual dividend payout marks the 17th consecutive year that it exceeds $1 billion. MassMutual has paid more than $21 billion in dividends over the last two decades, and although dividends are not guaranteed, the company has paid dividends to eligible participating policyowners consistently since the 1860s.
HMC Receives $3.9M for Behavioral Health, ED Enhancements
HOLYOKE — Holyoke Medical Center (HMC) has been awarded $3.9 million by the Mass. Health Policy Commission (HPC) for a project to enhance behavioral healthcare services for patients. The two-year project has an aggressive completion deadline of January 2017. The funds awarded by HPC are Phase 2 of the Community Hospital Acceleration, Revitalization, and Transformation (CHART) investment program, dubbed “Driving System Transformation.” HPC awarded $60 million for projects throughout the Commonwealth, for which they received requests of more than $117 million. HMC’s award was the highest award for a single hospital and reflects the recognition of the need for improved conditions as well as the vital role HMC plays in the community. The award also came with the expressed support from many local and state officials, including state Reps. Aaron Vega, Joseph Wagner, and John Scibak and state Sen. Don Humason. “This funding will allow us to create significantly improved conditions for all our patients, especially those with behavioral-health needs. Programmatic changes and designated treatment space for behavioral-health patients in the Emergency Department will help to avoid unnecessary hospitalization and reduce re-hospitalization of behavioral-health patients,” said HMC President and CEO Spiros Hatiras. Approximately half of the funds awarded by HPC, nearly $2 million, are designated to assist in a designated treatment space in the ED for behavioral-health patients, of which the total cost is estimated to be between $6 million to $7 million. Holyoke Medical Center will organize a capital campaign and invest in the balance of funds needed to complete the Emergency Department redesign project. The HMC Emergency Department serves more than 45,000 patients per year and will continue to serve the community through the redesign and construction phase of the project. The renovations of the ED will provide a designated treatment area needed to deliver safe, comprehensive behavioral-health services to a wide range of patients. The renovations are expected to begin in early 2015 and be completed by the end of the same calendar year. This initiative will also introduce robust care navigation in partnership with community organizations to ensure that patients receive targeted interventions, are referred to the ‘right’ services, and successfully follow through on their care plans to achieve optimal short- and long-term health outcomes. “This project is an amazing opportunity to provide specialized emergency care for people with mental-health and substance-abuse issues,” said HMC Director of Behavioral Health Baxter Chandler. “Not only will we more effectively address a patient’s emergency behavioral-health needs, we will also enhance our ability to connect patients with appropriate treatment and community services, reducing the need to return to the ED.”
Springfield Museums Announce Major Grants to Fund Renovations
SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Museums have received two major grants to fund exterior renovations to the William Pynchon Memorial Building (formerly known as the Connecticut Valley Historical Museum). Through $120,000 from the Cultural Facilities Fund of the Massachusetts Cultural Council and another $50,000 from the Beveridge Family Foundation Inc., the Museums will be able to repair and restore the building’s slate roof, replace its gutters, rebuild its shutters and dormers, and paint the building in accordance with historical-preservation standards. Renovations to the building have already commenced, with completion targeted for the spring of 2015. The ultimate goal of the renovation is to reclaim the museum’s aesthetic appearance and prepare it for the installation of an exhibition honoring the life and work of Theodor Geisel (Dr. Seuss). Working in close collaboration with community leaders and educators, the museums plan to design and build a literacy-based, interactive exhibition titled “The Amazing World of Dr. Seuss” that will make his works come alive for children and their families, while also helping to boost Springfield’s profile as a regional and national destination. “The Pynchon Memorial Building is an integral component of the architectural landscape of the Quadrangle and cultural life of downtown Springfield, and we’re deeply indebted to the Massachusetts Cultural Council and the Beveridge Family for their help in reviving this elegant building,” said Springfield Museums Vice President Kay Simpson. Named after the founder of Springfield, the William Pynchon Memorial Building was built in 1927 to house the extensive collections of the Connecticut Valley Historical Society. Designed by Springfield architect Max Westhoff, the building exemplifies the Georgian Colonial Revival style that was popular in the early 20th century and reflected the prevailing attitudes about the importance of preserving and interpreting America’s colonial past. The central doorway has a ‘broken scroll’ pediment, pineapple centerpiece, and flanking pilasters, all characteristic hallmarks of Connecticut Valley homes of the 18th century. The Massachusetts Cultural Facilities Fund is a program of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, administered through a collaborative arrangement between MassDevelopment and the Massachusetts Cultural Council.
Cooley Dickinson Recognized for Patient-safety Record
NORTHAMPTON — Cooley Dickinson Hospital was honored with an ‘A’ grade in the fall 2014 Hospital Safety Score, which rates how well hospitals protect patients from errors, injuries, and infections. The Hospital Safety Score is compiled under the guidance of the nation’s leading experts on patient safety and is administered by the Leapfrog Group, an independent industry watchdog. The first and only hospital-safety rating to be peer-reviewed in the Journal of Patient Safety, the score is free to the public and designed to give consumers information they can use to protect themselves and their families when facing a hospital stay. “Cooley Dickinson is fortunate to have a community of staff and providers who make delivering quality and safe care their daily priority,” said Joanne Marqusee, president and CEO of Cooley Dickinson. “But high quality and patient safety require not only skilled people with a commitment to great care, it also requires leadership at all levels to make safe systems and teamwork a priority.”
Visual Changes Announces Start of Construction Project
EAST LONGMEADOW — Visual Changes Inc. has announced its plans to build a premier day spa and salon at 100 Shaker Road in East Longmeadow. The company will partner with Craig Sweitzer & Co., LLC on the project. The site is a former post office and currently houses Atrium Dental Group, another Sweitzer construction project. With the addition of Visual Changes, the property is near full occupancy. “The design goal for Visual Changes is to create an environment that is simultaneously serene and high-tech with a cosmopolitan feel,” said founder Mark Maruca. The 2,300-square-foot facility will feature vaulted ceilings, state-of-the-art private spa spaces, and upscale stations for salon services.
DevelopSpringfield to Create Downtown Innovation Center
SPRINGFIELD — Gov. Deval Patrick’s recent announcement of $2 million in MassWorks Infrastructure Program funding to MassDevelopment marks a critical step toward the creation of the Springfield Innovation Center. The project is a collaboration between DevelopSpringfield, the state Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development, MassDevelopment, the city of Springfield, Valley Venture Mentors, the Springfield Innovation Hub, and MassMutual. “The Patrick administration has been committed to providing support to communities like Springfield so that they can grow and prosper,” said Secretary of Housing and Economic Development Greg Bialecki. “Revitalizing a community through infrastructure improvements will make it easier for businesses to grow and communities to flourish.” The project includes rehabilitation of more than 16,000 square feet of mixed-use space, which will include a 9,000-square-foot business-accelerator program with co-working, presentation, and function space and an innovation café, as well as additional office space. “We are really looking forward to collaborating on this project,” said Paul Silva, co-founder of Valley Venture Mentors. “This new space will provide a home that will bring together more than 50 startups a year to collide with each other, investors, customers, and the local business community.” The Springfield Innovation Hub’s goal is to create a series of “watering holes” throughout the Pioneer Valley with the flagship location being in downtown Springfield, said Delcie Bean, founder of the Springfield Innovation Hub. “These cafés will cater to audiences ranging from students to professors, business people to entrepreneurs, and just about anyone else looking for a cool, energetic spot to grab a coffee, have a meeting, or meet a friend. We will be featuring a mix of high-tech and low-tech solutions that will create a space that is both exciting and approachable. The objective of these watering holes is to create concentrations of energy and people where ‘collisions’ can occur. The Springfield Innovation Hub will be a 501(c)(3) organization which seeks only to spur economic growth and development by creating centers for energy, collaboration, and collision.” DevelopSpringfield purchased a building earlier this month at 276-284 Bridge St. in a block of historic buildings known as the Trinity Block. On Oct. 20, the Springfield City Council approved the sale of a vacant adjacent building at 270-272 Bridge St. to DevelopSpringfield in the same block to support the project. Funds to advance the development of this project, including property acquisition and rehabilitation of the two buildings, have been provided by the Commonwealth through a MassWorks Infrastructure Program grant to MassDevelopment by MassMutual. “Less than 500 feet around the corner from 1550 Main, the Springfield Innovation Center will represent an exciting addition to the city of firsts,” said MassDevelopment President and CEO Marty Jones. “MassDevelopment appreciates this vote of confidence in us from MassWorks, and looks forward to partnering with Mayor [Domenic] Sarno, DevelopSpringfield, and the local business community to continuing to make downtown Springfield a more attractive destination for businesses old and new alike.” Planned rehabilitation includes the installation of an elevator, window restoration and replacement, mechanical-system upgrades, re-roofing, and re-pointing on the front exterior and interior fit-out for Valley Venture Mentors’ business accelerator and office space. “The Springfield Innovation Center is conceived as a cornerstone of downtown Springfield’s newly designated Innovation District, building on the legacy of the area’s 19th-century history of industry and innovation, a wealth of architecturally significant historic buildings, and proximity to the downtown core,” said Jay Minkarah, President and CEO of DevelopSpringfield.
Western Mass. Sports Commission Launches ‘Fan in a Can’ Initiative
SPRINGFIELD — The Western Mass. Sports Commission (WMSC), a division of the Greater Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau (GSCVB), recently put together a memorable direct-mail campaign called “Fan in a Can,” providing rights holders with all of the necessities they need to be a fan … literally. With plenty of indoor and outdoor facilities to choose from, along with the area’s outstanding attractions, full complement of lodging and restaurants, easy accessibility, and great affordability, Western Mass. offers everything event planners need to host an unforgettable and highly successful event. Close to 200 cans are in the process of being mailed out across the nation to senior-level planning executives within sports organizations for all types of events from disc golf, rowing, and bowling to more traditional sports like soccer and basketball. The eye-catching tin can includes a foam finger that screams “we’re #1,” a pom-pom, a cowbell, a temporary tattoo, a Lands End winter beanie, and a printed, call-to-action sales piece. “We hope that, by doing such a fun and interactive direct-mail piece, potential event planners who would not have considered Western Mass. as a location for their next event will now reach out and have a conversation with us about bringing their event to our area,” said Mary Kay Wydra, president of the GSCVB. “On behalf of the Western Mass. Sports Commission, we look forward to working with event planners and are excited to bring a diverse mix of sports to the area.” The WMSC will be at TEAMS Expo in Las Vegas in November where rights holders will be able to find a Fan in a Can on display and speak to a representative from this region regarding hosting potential events. For regional information, visit the GSCVB website at www.valleyvisitor.com, or contact Director of Sales Alicia Szenda at (413) 755-1346 or [email protected] to plan your next sports event.
Construction Employment Rises in Most Metro Areas
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Construction employment expanded in 236 metro areas, declined in 53, and was stagnant in 50 between September 2013 and September 2014, according to a new analysis of federal employment data released by Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials said that, as firms expand their payrolls, many are finding a limited supply of available qualified workers. “It is good news that construction employment gains have spread to more than two-thirds of the nation’s metro areas,” said Ken Simonson, chief economist for the association. “But there is a growing risk that contractors in many of these regions will have trouble finding qualified workers to complete the rising volume of projects.” According to a recent construction-industry survey conducted by the association, 83% of construction firms report having a hard time finding qualified craft workers. They called on federal, state, and local officials to act on the measures outlined in the association’s workforce-development plan to make it easier to establish new programs designed to prepare students for high-paying careers in construction.
Grants Awarded for Workforce-development, Job-training Efforts
SPRINGFIELD — In July 2014, the city of Springfield issued an RFP soliciting proposals from providers for job training and workforce development. As a result of this solicitation, the city is awarding a total of $250,000 in HUD Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds to three separate agencies to provide job-training and workforce-development programs to residents of disaster-impacted neighborhoods. There will be a special focus on recruiting residents of the Six Corners and South End neighborhoods, as the residents of these neighborhoods face multiple barriers to employment, and both areas were heavily impacted by both the long- and short-term effects of the natural disasters that occurred in 2011. Training Resources of America will receive $85,100; Springfield Technical Community College will receive $94,449; and Window Preservation, LLC, in partnership with the Hampden County Sheriff’s Department, will receive $70,451. “Providing education and job training to our residents is vital in our efforts in knocking down poverty and crime,” said Mayor Domenic Sarno. “Whenever we can step up and provide opportunity, it is a win-win for us all.” The city anticipates that the contracted organizations will provide training to a minimum of 100 Springfield residents. The programs will involve a variety of educational instruction subjects, including high-school-equivalency preparation, English language, math, computers, customer service training, and more. The varied programs will prepare and enable trainees to obtain permanent positions in fields such as educational and health services, food service, leisure and hospitality, social assistance, wholesale and retail trade, financial and business services, insurance and real estate, office and administrative support, accounting, bookkeeping, payroll services, legal services, advertising, manufacturing, asbestos/lead abatement, and construction.
Springfield Museums Announce Major Grants to Fund Renovations
SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Museums have received two major grants to fund exterior renovations to the William Pynchon Memorial Building (formerly known as the Connecticut Valley Historical Museum). Through $120,000 from the Cultural Facilities Fund of the Massachusetts Cultural Council and another $50,000 from the Beveridge Family Foundation Inc., the Museums will be able to repair and restore the building’s slate roof, replace its gutters, rebuild its shutters and dormers, and paint the building in accordance with historical-preservation standards. Renovations to the building have already commenced, with completion targeted for the spring of 2015. The ultimate goal of the renovation is to reclaim the museum’s aesthetic appearance and prepare it for the installation of an exhibition honoring the life and work of Theodor Geisel (Dr. Seuss). Working in close collaboration with community leaders and educators, the museums plan to design and build a literacy-based, interactive exhibition titled “The Amazing World of Dr. Seuss” that will make his works come alive for children and their families, while also helping to boost Springfield’s profile as a regional and national destination. “The Pynchon Memorial Building is an integral component of the architectural landscape of the Quadrangle and cultural life of downtown Springfield, and we’re deeply indebted to the Massachusetts Cultural Council and the Beveridge Family for their help in reviving this elegant building,” said Springfield Museums Vice President Kay Simpson. Named after the founder of Springfield, the William Pynchon Memorial Building was built in 1927 to house the extensive collections of the Connecticut Valley Historical Society. Designed by Springfield architect Max Westhoff, the building exemplifies the Georgian Colonial Revival style that was popular in the early 20th century and reflected the prevailing attitudes about the importance of preserving and interpreting America’s colonial past. The central doorway has a ‘broken scroll’ pediment, pineapple centerpiece, and flanking pilasters, all characteristic hallmarks of Connecticut Valley homes of the 18th century. The Massachusetts Cultural Facilities Fund is a program of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, administered through a collaborative arrangement between MassDevelopment and the Massachusetts Cultural Council.
Mullins Center Hosts Toy Drive to Benefit Children
AMHERST — The Mullins Center and Global Spectrum Charities have partnered with Toys for Tots to host the Holidaze Toy Drive, running through Saturday, Nov. 29. The goal of the drive is to collect new toys for less-fortunate children during the holidays. Gearing up for the “Cirque Dreams Holidaze” performance at the Mullins Center on Thursday, Dec. 11, the venue is hosting this toy drive to tie into the performance. Members of the public are urged to drop items off at the Mullins Center box office Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. and Saturday between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Everyone who donates a toy will receive $5 off their ticket to see “Cirque Dreams Holidaze” on Dec. 11.
AMA Supports Regulation to Restrict E-cigarettes
DALLAS — As electronic cigarettes continue to gain popularity among youth in the U.S., the American Medical Assoc. (AMA) is reinforcing its support for regulatory oversight of e-cigs. The nation’s largest physician organization adopted new policy that would establish the minimum legal purchase age of 18, place marketing restrictions on manufacturers, and prohibit claims that electronic cigarettes are effective tobacco cessation tools. According to estimates from the National Youth Tobacco Survey, electronic cigarette use among middle-school and high-school students in the U.S. has grown at a rapid rate in recent years. The prevalence of those who said they’ve tried an e-cigarette doubled among both of these groups from 2011 to 2012. The survey also found that more than 263,000 middle- and high-school students who had never before smoked reported using electronic cigarettes in 2013, a threefold increase from 79,000 in 2011. “The AMA supports the FDA’s proposed rule to regulate electronic cigarettes, and we urge the federal government to implement more stringent regulations that will further protect our nation’s youth and overall public health,” said AMA member Dr. William Kobler. “The new policy will continue the AMA’s efforts to deter the sale of electronic cigarettes to minors.”
The following building permits were issued during the month of November 2014.
AGAWAM
Chris Wargo
601 Silver St.
$22,000 — Install replacement windows
Coopers Commons
159 Main St.
$5,000 — New means of egress
Dunkin Donuts
389 Main St.
$230,000 — New restaurant
CHICOPEE
Chicopee DPW
63 1/2 Main St.
$165,000 — Upgrade River Mills Pump Station
GREENFIELD
Franklin Medical Center
48 Sanderson St.
$10,000 — Renovations to remove walls and door
Greenfield Savings Bank
400 Main St.
$13,000 — Repairs
Northeast Biodiesel Company
179 Silvio O Conte Dr.
$798,000 — Interior renovations for office space
Sophia Koblinski
226 Federal St.
$14,000 — Interior renovations
SOUTH HADLEY
Top Tier Site
9 Mulligan St.
$3,000 — Replace antenna
SPRINGFIELD
AHAP, LLC
1163 Main St.
$15,000 — Exterior repairs
City of Springfield
121 West St.
$98,000 — Renovations to provide locker rooms
Friends of the Homeless
769 Worthington St.
$30,000 — New roof
Hampden Bank
19 Harrison Ave.
$96,000 — New roof
Springfield Hobby Club
1475 Roosevelt Ave.
$6,350 — Interior renovations
Yukon group
101 Wason Ave.
$856,000 — Interior fit-up for new tenant
WEST SPRINGFIELD
Bel-Mar Insurance
138 Memorial Ave.
$85,500 — New roof
Cerrato’s Pastry Shop
255 Elm St.
$12,000 — Repair stucco facade on front of building
The following real estate transactions (latest available) were compiled by Banker & Tradesman and are published as they were received. Only transactions exceeding $115,000 are listed. Buyer and seller fields contain only the first name listed on the deed.
FRANKLIN COUNTY
ASHFIELD
343 Apple Valley Road
Ashfield, MA 01330
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Justin Sherman
Seller: Diane Greenman
Date: 10/08/14
74 Ranney Corner Road
Ashfield, MA 01330
Amount: $214,500
Buyer: Anne F. Boltz
Seller: Cheryl E. Brown
Date: 10/06/14
BUCKLAND
115 Ashfield Road
Buckland, MA 01338
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Peter H. Wood
Seller: Betsy A. Felix
Date: 10/10/14
96 Clesson Brook Road
Buckland, MA 01338
Amount: $216,500
Buyer: Cynthia A. Simurro
Seller: Jason Heilman
Date: 10/16/14
72 Elm St.
Buckland, MA 01338
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Elia A. Sinaiko
Seller: Johnson Investment TR
Date: 10/16/14
CONWAY
381 South Deerfield Road
Conway, MA 01341
Amount: $229,000
Buyer: Heath E. Roberts
Seller: Justin S. Allis
Date: 10/15/14
GILL
7 Cove View Lane
Gill, MA 01354
Amount: $228,000
Buyer: Simon E. Scher
Seller: Adam N Zaykoski
Date: 10/08/14
GREENFIELD
37 Brookside Ave.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $185,000
Buyer: Patrick J. Merrigan
Seller: Lovette, Beatrice L., (Estate)
Date: 10/15/14
194 Cleveland St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Greenfield Real Estate
Seller: Lane Construction Corp.
Date: 10/14/14
150-152 Conway St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $172,500
Buyer: Caroline A. Whitbeck
Seller: John S. Anderson
Date: 10/15/14
78 Riddell St.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Amount: $218,500
Buyer: Sarah M. Bellemare
Seller: Craig W. Gibson
Date: 10/10/14
HAWLEY
Bozrah Road
Hawley, MA 01339
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Kyle D. Clark
Seller: Eugene J. Tanguay
Date: 10/06/14
9 Stetson Road
Hawley, MA 01339
Amount: $140,979
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Stephen C. Kimball
Date: 10/06/14
HEATH
26 South Road
Heath, MA 01346
Amount: $650,000
Buyer: Jason Heilman
Seller: Andrew H. Berman
Date: 10/16/14
MONTAGUE
32 Hillside Road
Montague, MA 01351
Amount: $208,877
Buyer: Jason D. Grader
Seller: Benjamin R. John
Date: 10/07/14
5 Lyman St.
Montague, MA 01349
Amount: $142,900
Buyer: Alexia E. Cota
Seller: US Bank
Date: 10/14/14
NORTHFIELD
45 Gill Center Road
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $247,000
Buyer: James P. Smith
Seller: James Barrett Parrish LT
Date: 10/10/14
602 Mount Hermon Station Road
Northfield, MA 01360
Amount: $137,000
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Lucille H. Moran
Date: 10/06/14
ORANGE
15-17 East Main St.
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $462,134
Buyer: Orange Teen Housing Inc.
Seller: Orange Teenhousing LLC
Date: 10/17/14
96 Eagleville Road
Orange, MA 01364
Amount: $152,763
Buyer: Bank New York Mellon
Seller: Raymond C. Aucoin
Date: 10/07/14
SHUTESBURY
29 Leverett Road
Shutesbury, MA 01072
Amount: $252,000
Buyer: Michael Pill
Seller: Karen E. Baronas
Date: 10/10/14
WARWICK
50 Athol Road
Warwick, MA 01378
Amount: $128,000
Buyer: Prudence Carnahan-Gavin
Seller: Susanne E. Gunnard
Date: 10/15/14
HAMPDEN COUNTY
AGAWAM
61 Campbell Dr.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $138,000
Buyer: Earl R. McNamee
Seller: Michael J. Paynter
Date: 10/10/14
115 Columbia Dr.
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $282,000
Buyer: Dean M. Berry
Seller: James M. Monteith
Date: 10/15/14
142 Country Road
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Daren T. Conlin
Seller: Scott Kenney
Date: 10/15/14
35 Elbert Road
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $192,500
Buyer: Steven T. Winter
Seller: William V. Sinico
Date: 10/17/14
187 Lancaster Dr.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $328,000
Buyer: Scott Kenney
Seller: Nils L. Griffin
Date: 10/15/14
30 Lango Lane
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Jenniffer Duque
Seller: PBI Inc.
Date: 10/10/14
68 Washington Ave.
Agawam, MA 01001
Amount: $132,600
Buyer: Artem Dyachkov
Seller: Charles E. Jenks
Date: 10/17/14
33 Woodcock Court
Agawam, MA 01030
Amount: $177,000
Buyer: Peter J. Porra
Seller: William J. Boyd
Date: 10/17/14
BRIMFIELD
103 Brookfield Road
Brimfield, MA 01010
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Jared Fortin
Seller: Mellnick, Richard, (Estate)
Date: 10/10/14
CHESTER
East River Road
Chester, MA 01050
Amount: $128,900
Buyer: Edgar Phillips-Jones
Seller: Stuart Arbeit
Date: 10/07/14
CHICOPEE
548 Chicopee St.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $275,000
Buyer: 548-554 Chicopee St LLC
Seller: Sandra Cieslak
Date: 10/07/14
202 College St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $229,000
Buyer: Amy B. Kugler
Seller: Christopher M. Peloquin
Date: 10/10/14
165-167 Fairview Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01013
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Donald Peery
Seller: Lynn A. Wightman
Date: 10/09/14
47 Goodhue Ave.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $179,900
Buyer: Timothy K. Bullens
Seller: Brian W. Summers
Date: 10/08/14
126 Labelle Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $229,000
Buyer: Thomas H. Scott
Seller: Gary B. Szymaniak
Date: 10/15/14
73 Leo Dr.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $237,400
Buyer: Robert D. Walker
Seller: Jeffrey F. Wenzel
Date: 10/17/14
Nelson St. #1-2
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: CRA Holdings Inc.
Seller: Lake Point Realty LLC
Date: 10/07/14
234 Old Lyman Road
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Philip Lamoreux
Seller: Sandra M. Kennedy
Date: 10/14/14
65 Royal St.
Chicopee, MA 01020
Amount: $133,000
Buyer: Crystal D. Dasilva
Seller: Teresa Poirier
Date: 10/08/14
EAST LONGMEADOW
52 Bent Tree Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $410,000
Buyer: Claudia F. Penna
Seller: Michael T. Barbieri
Date: 10/10/14
8 Boulder St.
East Longmeadow, MA 01108
Amount: $254,900
Buyer: Normand F. Cormier
Seller: Amanda H. Alexiadis
Date: 10/06/14
177 Hampden Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $205,000
Buyer: Sarah E. Moses
Seller: Paul A. Yacovone
Date: 10/07/14
64 Heatherstone Dr.
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $250,000
Buyer: Christopher Dowd
Seller: James F. Foard
Date: 10/10/14
144 Old Farm Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $410,000
Buyer: Stephen Zhang
Seller: United Bank Residential
Date: 10/10/14
285 Pease Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Amy Schulze
Seller: Claudia F. Penna
Date: 10/10/14
Pondview Dr. #3
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Thomas Hanifan
Seller: Joseph Chapdelaine & Sons
Date: 10/08/14
330 Porter Road
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Fredia L. Degray
Seller: Farrell, Antonietta, (Estate)
Date: 10/06/14
GRANVILLE
855 Main Road
Granville, MA 01034
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Douglas T. Balfour
Seller: John A. Devine
Date: 10/17/14
HAMPDEN
23 Edward St.
Hampden, MA 01036
Amount: $216,000
Buyer: Joseph L. Montano
Seller: Phillip C. Lovell
Date: 10/15/14
HOLLAND
1 Waterfront Way
Holland, MA 01521
Amount: $280,000
Buyer: Eugene J. Segaline
Seller: Quechee RT LLC
Date: 10/17/14
HOLYOKE
314 Apremont Hwy.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Raquelle Defelice
Seller: James R. Franz
Date: 10/15/14
74 Cherry Hill
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $233,000
Buyer: Susan M. Wesolowski
Seller: Maureen Lucey
Date: 10/08/14
220 Easthampton Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $249,000
Buyer: Suzanne Cappella
Seller: Edward J. Cauley
Date: 10/10/14
657-663 High St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $599,900
Buyer: HR Holyoke LLC
Seller: Kevin Cruz
Date: 10/09/14
105 Hillside Ave.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $177,000
Buyer: Jose Cora
Seller: Jason L. Curtis
Date: 10/17/14
4 Hillview Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $220,000
Buyer: Patricia A. Mullady
Seller: Phyllis R. Feldman
Date: 10/15/14
12 Liberty St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $146,000
Buyer: Jill M. Roach
Seller: Premier Source Credit Union
Date: 10/17/14
50 Lower Westfield Road
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $147,000
Buyer: Hari Sharma
Seller: John P. Brunelle
Date: 10/17/14
116-124 Sargeant St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $599,900
Buyer: HR Holyoke LLC
Seller: Kevin Cruz
Date: 10/09/14
44 Vassar Circle
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: 3f Properties LLC
Seller: Florence Savings Bank
Date: 10/17/14
122 Vermont St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Amount: $196,500
Buyer: Jason M. Proctor
Seller: Louise S. Lashway
Date: 10/10/14
LONGMEADOW
11 Brooks Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $299,000
Buyer: Daniel M. Kelly
Seller: Einzig, Betty J., (Estate)
Date: 10/16/14
144 Burbank Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $337,000
Buyer: Andrew J. Mariani
Seller: Michael P. Dunnirvine
Date: 10/07/14
75 Cobblestone Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $330,000
Buyer: Steven A. Alminas
Seller: Ronald M. Schnitzler
Date: 10/15/14
82 Crestview Circle
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $860,000
Buyer: Alice Y. Chang
Seller: Sturbridge Development LLC
Date: 10/16/14
303 Deepwoods Dr.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $365,000
Buyer: Joseph R. Yvon
Seller: John K. Casanova
Date: 10/08/14
476 Frank Smith Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $233,800
Buyer: Jennifer K. Lapointe
Seller: Rachel E. Chick
Date: 10/06/14
86 Lincoln Road
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Stuart B. Gordon
Seller: Robert F. Chalero
Date: 10/17/14
31 Longmeadow St.
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $440,500
Buyer: Julia A. Cowley
Seller: Ross FT
Date: 10/10/14
93 Osceola Lane
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Susan E. Fitzgerald
Seller: Bridget T. Regan
Date: 10/17/14
109 Wild Grove Lane
Longmeadow, MA 01106
Amount: $625,000
Buyer: David Fontaine
Seller: Judith M. Collins
Date: 10/10/14
LUDLOW
102-104 Booth St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $270,500
Seller: Anthony Pio
Date: 10/07/14
120 Chapin St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Robert M. Ollquist
Seller: Joseph R. Stejna
Date: 10/10/14
Daisy Lane
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Gerald E. Dubour
Seller: MHB Inc.
Date: 10/17/14
133 Pond St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $161,000
Buyer: Paul R. Racine
Seller: Gary P. Shannon
Date: 10/15/14
121 Richmond Road
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Paul M. Miele
Seller: Gloria E. Tetrault
Date: 10/17/14
83 Skyridge St.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $203,155
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: James T. Gennette
Date: 10/14/14
54 Stivens Dr.
Ludlow, MA 01056
Amount: $224,000
Buyer: Zachary M. Falconer
Seller: Fernando E. Alfaia
Date: 10/08/14
MONSON
321 Cedar Swamp Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $239,400
Buyer: Nathan M. Kology
Seller: Garrett J. Cavanaugh
Date: 10/10/14
25 Country Club Heights
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $244,000
Buyer: Steven J. Ziobrowski
Seller: Laurie A. Petsche
Date: 10/14/14
28 Country Club Dr.
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Alicia Martel
Seller: William F. Donovan
Date: 10/10/14
11 Pease Ave.
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Frederick J. Baxter
Seller: Remo J. Pizzichemi
Date: 10/09/14
16 Reynolds Ave.
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $190,000
Buyer: Donald T. Macomber
Seller: Timothy B. Gregoire
Date: 10/17/14
170 Wales Road
Monson, MA 01057
Amount: $255,000
Buyer: Matthew Gautreau
Seller: Christopher J. Dowd
Date: 10/10/14
PALMER
3201 Main St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Amount: $230,859
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Tracy Flematti
Date: 10/17/14
2002 Overlook Dr.
Palmer, MA 01080
Amount: $200,000
Buyer: Brenda L. Methot
Seller: Louis A. Brodeur
Date: 10/16/14
SPRINGFIELD
1235 Allen St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $132,000
Buyer: Daniel W. Brueno
Seller: Donald H. Matthews
Date: 10/10/14
96 Appleton St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $136,000
Buyer: Daenia M. Bernard
Seller: Global Homes Properties
Date: 10/16/14
116-118 Ardmore St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $131,000
Buyer: Oscar A. Dalmasi
Seller: Dustin L. Ruby
Date: 10/16/14
136-138 Arthur St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $173,000
Buyer: Giovanni Solivan-Lebron
Seller: Mong D. Nguyen
Date: 10/10/14
115 Clayton St.
Springfield, MA 01107
Amount: $145,000
Buyer: Luis Acosta
Seller: Ayala Enterprise LLC
Date: 10/07/14
211 Breckwood Blvd.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $117,500
Buyer: Aaron Stonacek
Seller: Debbie A. Cowdrey
Date: 10/17/14
52 Brentwood St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $201,684
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Anthony Son
Date: 10/16/14
1041 Carew St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $126,000
Buyer: John H. Sanders
Seller: Jason S. Balut
Date: 10/17/14
82-84 Cherrelyn St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $140,000
Buyer: Ruben D. Avendano
Seller: City Joe LLC
Date: 10/17/14
50 Colony Road
Springfield, MA 01106
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Charles A. Bellows
Seller: Daniel M. Kelly
Date: 10/16/14
108 Dartmouth St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $209,552
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: James Llewellyn
Date: 10/15/14
189 Dayton St.
Springfield, MA 01118
Amount: $217,777
Buyer: PNC Bank
Seller: Andrea M. Sticco
Date: 10/16/14
18 Doyle Ave.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $148,000
Buyer: Benjamin J. Nadeau
Seller: Blueline Management LLC
Date: 10/14/14
61 Grattan St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $159,900
Buyer: Carlos J. Colon-Alicea
Seller: Mark A. Young
Date: 10/10/14
55 Marengo Park
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $165,417
Buyer: Peter A. Negosanti
Seller: Maria L. Negosanti
Date: 10/16/14
172 Marsden St.
Springfield, MA 01109
Amount: $123,500
Buyer: Juanita Rosa
Seller: Legacy Strategic Investment
Date: 10/07/14
97 Melba St.
Springfield, MA 01119
Amount: $141,000
Buyer: Marjorie M. O’Donnell
Seller: Kevin M. Murphy
Date: 10/09/14
65 Midway St.
Springfield, MA 01151
Amount: $117,000
Buyer: Matthew W. Roache
Seller: Annette Cotela
Date: 10/15/14
340 Naismith St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Amount: $249,900
Buyer: Nicola Barrett
Seller: Bretta Construction LLC
Date: 10/09/14
57 Pomona St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $143,851
Buyer: Nationstar Mortgage LLC
Seller: Judith A. Hanke
Date: 10/14/14
137 Shawmut St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $122,500
Buyer: Linda F. Jordan
Seller: Melro Associates Inc.
Date: 10/08/14
14-16 Taft St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $146,910
Buyer: Katy M. Carpio
Seller: Michael J. Quinlivan
Date: 10/15/14
71 Virginia St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: Danny P. Rebelo
Seller: Catalina Visalden
Date: 10/17/14
SOUTHWICK
66 Davis Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $239,900
Buyer: Tina M. Beaudry
Seller: Neil L. Denowitz
Date: 10/17/14
10 Depot St.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $183,702
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Douglas H. Teece
Date: 10/17/14
73 North Lake Ave.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $140,526
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Roger Dalpian
Date: 10/08/14
21 Shaggbark Dr.
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $120,000
Buyer: Lbdnbd LLC
Seller: Andree D. Buscemi
Date: 10/06/14
234 Sheep Pasture Road
Southwick, MA 01077
Amount: $177,714
Buyer: Norman H. Storey
Seller: Rachael W. Teach
Date: 10/07/14
TOLLAND
135 Owls Nest Lane
Tolland, MA 01034
Amount: $159,100
Buyer: Melissa L. Saulenas
Seller: John Mercede
Date: 10/10/14
WESTFIELD
25 Chestnut St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $171,500
Buyer: Cynthia J. Geiger
Seller: Robert J. Schulze
Date: 10/14/14
7 Delancy St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Catherine Naputi
Seller: George Janke
Date: 10/10/14
21 Lindbergh Blvd.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $155,000
Buyer: Vaughn Willis
Seller: Marie A. Kaleta
Date: 10/07/14
14 Livingstone Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Joseph N Rollins
Seller: Sherri A. Hawes
Date: 10/10/14
2 Morris St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $225,000
Buyer: Jacklyn F. O’Neill
Seller: Peter S. Brancewicz
Date: 10/08/14
20 Murray Ave.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $170,000
Buyer: Wells Fargo Bank
Seller: Ethel Ramonas
Date: 10/09/14
168 Prospect St. Ext.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $204,500
Buyer: Shannon L. Oleksak
Seller: Stephen Foster
Date: 10/09/14
41 Saint Dennis St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Buyer: Siarhei L. Ryhal
Seller: FHLM
Date: 10/06/14
14 Sterling St.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $212,469
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Kevin M. Swords
Date: 10/16/14
199 Susan Dr.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $125,000
Buyer: Stephen A. Foster
Seller: US Bank
Date: 10/16/14
91 Woodside Ter.
Westfield, MA 01085
Amount: $192,400
Buyer: Amy K. Dowland
Seller: Linda Steglinski
Date: 10/17/14
WILBRAHAM
23 Deerfield Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Milton L. Knudsen
Seller: Wilbraview LP
Date: 10/10/14
7 Falcon Heights
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $494,340
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Douglas I. Hanson
Date: 10/08/14
10 Marilyn Dr.
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $625,000
Buyer: Shawn O’Connor
Seller: Marian E. Bergeron
Date: 10/15/14
12 Meadowview Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Edward C. Hough
Seller: Charles R. Fortin
Date: 10/17/14
200 Soule Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: Jason Grondin
Seller: Russell C. Mooney
Date: 10/17/14
644 Stony Hill Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $299,900
Buyer: Catherine C. Deloria
Seller: Douglas M. Hagopian
Date: 10/17/14
892 Stony Hill Road
Wilbraham, MA 01095
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Kim L. Crowther
Seller: Jane P. Broderick
Date: 10/10/14
WEST SPRINGFIELD
622 Amostown Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $187,640
Buyer: Donald D. Dumais
Seller: Robert A. Bengle
Date: 10/17/14
33 Baldwin St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $154,500
Buyer: Glenn R. Demarco
Seller: SAJ Real Estate LLC
Date: 10/10/14
510 Birnie Ave.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Barbara E. Hawrylciw
Date: 10/17/14
620 Elm St.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $163,000
Buyer: Michael J. Keane
Seller: Paul D. Bessette
Date: 10/10/14
94 Havenhurst Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $260,000
Buyer: Michael J. Szawlowski
Seller: Sandra A. Barbeau
Date: 10/14/14
217 Morgan Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $212,500
Buyer: Constantin Malancea
Seller: Adam R. Kellogg
Date: 10/17/14
57 Penrose Dr.
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: Brian J. Chapman
Seller: James R. Lachapelle
Date: 10/17/14
70 Robinson Road
West Springfield, MA 01089
Amount: $285,000
Buyer: Nicholas Toma
Seller: James M. Mitchell
Date: 10/15/14
HAMPSHIRE COUNTY
AMHERST
74 Blue Hills Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $430,000
Buyer: John M. Snyder
Seller: Henry E. Whitlock
Date: 10/14/14
22 Eames Ave.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $430,000
Buyer: Tiffany R. Clay
Seller: Kathleen E. Ford
Date: 10/16/14
112 Leverett Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: John L. Miller
Seller: Sarah A. Bevilacqua
Date: 10/06/14
3 Moss Lane
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $238,500
Buyer: Naomi M. Elliott
Seller: Audrey M. O’Connell
Date: 10/10/14
147 North Whitney St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $360,000
Buyer: Pavers NT
Seller: Wharton C. Clay
Date: 10/16/14
265 South East St.
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $165,000
Buyer: Hilary Whitlock
Seller: Karen J. Mills
Date: 10/17/14
11 Teaberry Lane
Amherst, MA 01002
Amount: $485,000
Buyer: John Siano
Seller: Carolyn P. Collette
Date: 10/07/14
BELCHERTOWN
124 Allen Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $355,000
Buyer: Adam C. Hebert
Seller: Craig H. McCauley
Date: 10/17/14
298 Cold Spring Road
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $266,250
Buyer: Corey J. Lajoie
Seller: Andrew K. Carey
Date: 10/15/14
191 East St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $215,000
Buyer: Andree M. Pages
Seller: Ronald Toelken
Date: 10/16/14
87 Railroad St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $162,656
Buyer: FNMA
Seller: Mary E. Fickett
Date: 10/17/14
36 Sarah Lane
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $184,559
Buyer: USA
Seller: Larry G. Desreuisseau
Date: 10/15/14
29 Stebbins St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Phillip E. Chilson
Seller: Scott A. Anderson
Date: 10/06/14
207 Warner St.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Amount: $316,000
Buyer: Christopher Peterson
Seller: 21st Century Green Homes
Date: 10/10/14
CUMMINGTON
225 Trouble St.
Cummington, MA 01026
Amount: $295,000
Buyer: Sarah E. Tompkins
Seller: Paul A. Dion
Date: 10/10/14
EASTHAMPTON
22 Knight Ave.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $269,000
Buyer: John Mortimer
Seller: Norah B. Seiger
Date: 10/15/14
28 Mckinley Ave.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $245,000
Buyer: Emily A. Lees
Seller: Kim P. Hackworth
Date: 10/15/14
41 South St.
Easthampton, MA 01027
Amount: $149,900
Buyer: Mary M. Roensch LT
Seller: Bruce D. Sylvia
Date: 10/17/14
GRANBY
189 East St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Westover Metropolitan Development Corp.
Seller: Robert D. Walker
Date: 10/15/14
School St.
Granby, MA 01033
Amount: $325,000
Buyer: International EC LLC
Seller: FMJ Realty LLC
Date: 10/17/14
HADLEY
133 Middle St.
Hadley, MA 01035
Amount: $159,334
Buyer: John A. Lipski
Seller: Elizabeth A. Newman
Date: 10/08/14
HATFIELD
115 Elm St. #31
Hatfield, MA 01038
Amount: $249,900
Buyer: William H. Bittner
Seller: Hatfield Village LLC
Date: 10/10/14
450 Main St.
Hatfield, MA 01038
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Mt. Tom Properties LLC
Seller: Walker P. Lee
Date: 10/17/14
108 Straits Road
Hatfield, MA 01038
Amount: $450,000
Buyer: Duval Logging LLC
Seller: Stephen F. Bruscoe
Date: 10/17/14
HUNTINGTON
14 Kennedy Dr.
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $315,000
Buyer: Maureen Lucey
Seller: Donald & Janice Gormley NT
Date: 10/08/14
84 Searle Road
Huntington, MA 01050
Amount: $345,000
Buyer: Paul C. Stanley
Seller: Theodore M. Lapointe
Date: 10/17/14
NORTHAMPTON
1152 Burts Pit Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $235,000
Buyer: Joanne K. Clark
Seller: Samuel J. Lococo
Date: 10/06/14
19 Drewsen Dr.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $135,000
Buyer: Gregory R. Haas
Seller: Deborah Coon
Date: 10/17/14
808 Florence Road
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Daniel L. Polachek
Seller: Lauretta R. Dietrich
Date: 10/17/14
12 Hinckley St.
Northampton, MA 01062
Amount: $305,000
Buyer: Patrick A. Corliss
Seller: Glenn Alper
Date: 10/10/14
SOUTH HADLEY
59 Bardwell St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $206,000
Buyer: Melissa Holmes
Seller: Michelle George
Date: 10/17/14
336 Brainerd St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $308,000
Buyer: Robert F. Caselden
Seller: Bridget E. Gardner
Date: 10/10/14
16 Brittany Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $300,000
Buyer: Benjamin H. Hale
Seller: Paul D. Boudreau
Date: 10/06/14
8 Cypress Dr.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $198,000
Buyer: Tracy A. Copeland
Seller: Nancy M. Herrick
Date: 10/07/14
60 East St.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $174,000
Buyer: Prateek Rajbhandari
Seller: William P. Butler
Date: 10/10/14
6 Lawrence Ave.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $166,000
Buyer: Anthony A. Chambers
Seller: Ronald F. Bisiewicz
Date: 10/17/14
36 Ludlow Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Steve Aube
Seller: Linda L. Drozdowski
Date: 10/10/14
Ludlow Road #3
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Steve Aube
Seller: Linda L. Drozdowski
Date: 10/10/14
Ludlow Road #4
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $160,000
Buyer: Steve Aube
Seller: Linda L. Drozdowski
Date: 10/10/14
34 Queen Circle
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $169,950
Buyer: Suzanne M. Frenette
Seller: Karen E. Lappalainen
Date: 10/10/14
154 Stony Brook Village
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $307,000
Buyer: Drummer RT
Seller: Whispering Pines
Date: 10/07/14
29 Upper River Road
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $385,000
Buyer: Scott G. George
Seller: Daniel F. Muldoon
Date: 10/17/14
7 Valley View Dr.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $442,500
Buyer: Michael & L. Matyszewski RET
Seller: James Mumm
Date: 10/07/14
8 Virginia Dr.
South Hadley, MA 01075
Amount: $310,000
Buyer: Brian W. Summers
Seller: Todd T. Holt
Date: 10/08/14
SOUTHAMPTON
13 Cottage Ave.
Southampton, MA 01073
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Bruce A. Slabinski
Seller: Nathan Sansouci
Date: 10/17/14
WARE
304 Beaver Lake Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $287,500
Buyer: Russell C. Mooney
Seller: Debra A. Charette
Date: 10/17/14
42 Crescent St.
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $203,500
Buyer: Kristine A. Roach
Seller: FNMA
Date: 10/16/14
121 Glendale Circle
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $180,000
Buyer: Jarrod Dandurant
Seller: Mark A. Orszulak
Date: 10/17/14
14 Indian Hill Road
Ware, MA 01082
Amount: $155,500
Buyer: Katie J. Cienciwa
Seller: George E. Moeckel
Date: 10/16/14
WORTHINGTON
123 Capen St.
Worthington, MA 01098
Amount: $210,000
Buyer: Samantha L. Kabat
Seller: Mary A. Munson FT
Date: 10/10/14
8 Dingle Road
Worthington, MA 01098
Amount: $150,000
Buyer: Joshua J. Tanner
Seller: Susan S. Martin
Date: 10/07/14
27 Ireland St.
Worthington, MA 01098
Amount: $230,000
Buyer: Kathleen E. Ford
Seller: Madeleine A. Cahill
Date: 10/16/14
Sam Hill Road
Worthington, MA 01098
Amount: $176,000
Buyer: Theodore M. Lapointe
Seller: Edward & Shirley Porter LT
Date: 10/17/14
The following bankruptcy petitions were recently filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court. Readers should confirm all information with the court.
Archambault, Shirley E.
1015 Baptist Hill Road
Palmer, MA 01069
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/03/14
Bleau, Heath A.
Bleau, Angela M.
1022 Park St.
Palmer, MA 01069
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/03/14
Cabana, Ronald J.
14 Doane Ave.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/02/14
Cormier, Kurt J.
Cormier, Denise R.
69 Peros Dr.
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 10/06/14
Cross, Andrew E.
409 River Road
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/02/14
Duprey, Mark W.
18 Harrison Ave.
Greenfield, MA 01301
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/06/14
Finnell, John C.
48 Lake Mattawa Road
Orange, MA 01364
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 10/09/14
Flashner, April Ann
a/k/a Talkowski, April
136 Fryeville Road
Orange, MA 01364
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/08/14
Foley, Lisa A.
19 Wildflower Dr.
Ware, MA 01082
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/03/14
Girard, Wayne Alan
Girard, Lisa Jean
a/k/a Lyons, Lisa Jean
1506 Windsor Road
Cheshire, MA 01225
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/02/14
Goshea, Katie M.
95 Vermont St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 10/08/14
Hahne, Carl
Hahne, Susan M.
12 Alcove St.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/14/14
Hampden County Physicians, Inc.
354 Birnie Ave.
Springfield, MA 01107
Chapter: 11
Filing Date: 10/02/14
J.R. Saloon
Route 63 Roadhouse
Gershman, Jessica Lynn
49 Mormon Hollow Road
Millers Falls, MA 01349
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/08/14
Jimenez-Riddell, Martha G.
a/k/a Riddell, Martha G.
a/k/a Moraga, Martha G.
224 Froman St.
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 09/30/14
Kargearies Indexing
Karp, Sandra Rae
345 East St. Apt. B
Easthampton, MA 01027
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/06/14
Kieliszek, Judith K.
23 Corey Colonial
Agawam, MA 01001
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/09/14
Korotchenko, Maria
1528 North Main St., 3rd Fl.
Palmer, MA 01069
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/03/14
Leclair, Robert R.
Leclair, Hilary J.
a/k/a Clough, Hilary J.
PO Box 304
Thorndike, MA 01079
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/02/14
Legge, Thomas Stanley
493 Elm St.
Pittsfield, MA 01201
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/07/14
Londono, Elvia Luz
1259 North Westfield St.
Feeding Hills, MA 01030
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/10/14
Major, Renner E.
237 Arnold Ave.
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/03/14
McWade, Brendan W.
226 Fountain St.
Springfield, MA 01108
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/03/14
Moise, Marjorie
48 Merrill Road
Springfield, MA 01119
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/03/14
Murphy, Paul J.
Murphy, Angela M.
1199 Northampton St.
Holyoke, MA 01040
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 09/30/14
O’Donnell, Brian V.
27 Pomeroy Meadow Road
Southampton, MA 01073
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/15/14
Passidakis, Pamela J.
229 Green Ave.
Belchertown, MA 01007
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 09/30/14
Pedro, James Michael
229 Mohawk Trail
Florida, MA 01247
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/01/14
Polished Nail & Hair Gall
Ekstrand, Jonathan H.
Ekstrand, Mary T.
363 Doe Valley Road
Athol, MA 01331
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 10/09/14
Porter, Andrew William
Porter, Lisa Marie
61 Fifth St.
Turners Falls, MA 01376
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/10/14
Rivera, Aida I.
PO Box 4228
Springfield, MA 01101
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/15/14
Walker, John A.
141 Manor Court
Springfield, MA 01118
Chapter: 7
Filing Date: 10/10/14
Wentworth, Stephanie R.
103 Hardwick Pond Road
Hardwick, MA 01037
Chapter: 13
Filing Date: 10/15/14
The following Business Certificates and Trade Names were issued or renewed during the month of November 2014.
AGAWAM
AEV Media Group
16 Walnut St.
Armen Vartanyan
Che Bella Salon
833 Springfield St.
Shaun Drugan
MAD Chaos Productions
28 Losito Lane
Mark Delnegro
Stellato Home Services
19 Losito Lane
James Stellato Jr.
The Range & Training Academy
396 Main St.
Anneliese Townsend
You’ve Got It Maid
485 Corey St.
Kelly Deprey
CHICOPEE
Blue Spring Management
13 Center St.
Patrick Gottschlict
Family Barber Shop
212 Exchange St.
Alex N. Vazquez
Kimgi Hoops
805 Chicopee St.
Kimberly Knowlton
GREENFIELD
Baystate Home Infusion
489 Bernardston Road
Charles Ledoyt
Frans Designer Clothing Outlet
282 Main St.
Laura Chapdelaine
Sleepyls, LLC
248 Mohawk Trail
Joseph Graci
The Comical Mystery Tour
99 Elm St.
Kenneth Adams
Thin Ice Publishing
53 Prospect St.
Alan Hopkins
HOLYOKE
ABC Pizza
2233 Northampton St.
Jamal Alkattan
Banner Queen
16 Grover St.
Amy J. Quest
DKNA Window Cleaning & More
1010 Dwight St.
Jason Nieznojko
Nailtique
50 Holyoke St.
Stacie Pride
Ridden Staffing
15 Vernon St.
Vic Ridden
Rowan’s
1850 Northampton St.
Erica R. Leahy
Shepard Renovations
542 Rock Valley Road
Michael Shepard
Teanana
50 Holyoke St.
Annie Berkovicz
Verizon Wireless
50 Holyoke St.
Maria Chambers
SPRINGFIELD
American Tire Services
160 Tapley St.
Robert Vanzandt
Auntie Agi Alteration Service
1173 Sumner Ave.
Agnes B. Akoto
Brother Hood on the Move
1500 Main St.
Andrew R. Keton
Carpio Tax Service
340 Main St.
Katy M. Carpio
Civic Center Convenience
1369 Main St.
Nafees A. Awan
Clemente’s Bar & Grill
90 Worthington St.
Paul Ramesh
Creative Lengths
2 Chestnut St.
Joanna Matos
D & B Towing
141 Carver St.
Flor I. Torres
Dona Laura Restaurant
344 Bay St.
Glenny Gonzalez
Eat Bistro, LLC
607 Page Blvd.
Robert F. Lindsey
El Rincon Restaurant
332 Main St.
Efrain M. Fernandez
Eldorado
817 State St.
Suk Forrester
FJR Towing & Transport
250 Albany St.
Francisco Roman
Forest Park Real Estate
668 Dickinson St.
Son Vo
Foundation for TJO Animal Hospital
66 Industry Ave.
Thomas J. O’Connor
Fufu’s Beauty Supply
942 State St.
Dine F. Amadou
GK Watuku Transportation
138 Price St.
Gregory K. Watuku
Grimaldi, Inc.
1121 East Columbus Ave.
Luciano J. Grimaldi
JJ Beauty Salon
1614 Main St.
Yoanda Carpio
JC Home Improvement
159 Tyler St.
Jose Claudio
Jezy’s Cake & Wedding
26 Bancroft St.
Jezenia Delgado
Jon M. Starr Landscape
72 Sunapee St.
Jon M. Starr
WEST SPRINGFIELD
All in One Home Improvement
127 Warren St.
Sandro Scirocco
Creative Alteration
42 Merrick St.
Diana Kovaliuk
Pet Supplies Plus
175 Memorial Ave.
PSP Stores, LLC
Please Inc.
935 Riverdale St.
Kui Lin
The following business incorporations were recorded in Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin counties and are the latest available. They are listed by community.
CHICOPEE
LAP Distributing Inc., 77 Lapa Farm Road, Chicopee, MA 01013. Luis Pereira, same. Distribution of bakery products.
Mes Associates Inc., 43 Archie St., Floor 1, Chicopee, MA 01021. Margaret Shea, same. Real estate holdings.
EASTHAMPTON
MB Enterprises Inc., 12 Clinton St., Easthampton, MA 01027. Matthew Baca, same. Retail food services.
HOLYOKE
Iglesia Cristiana Luz De Vida, 100 Suffolk St., Holyoke, MA 01040. Edwin Velazquez, 120 Oak Street, Holyoke, MA 01040. Church.
Iglesia Movimiento Pentecostal Camino De Santidad, 773 Dwight St., Holyoke, MA 01040. Luis Edgardo Geigel, 361 Chestnut St., Holyoke, MA 01040. Religious organization with the purpose of worshipping and preaching the word of God, as well as to provide religious support to the community.
LONGMEADOW
Medical Documentation Specialists Inc., 101 Ellington St., Longmeadow, MA 01106. Michael Craig, same. Training in electronic medical systems.
PALMER
Mayberry’s Portable Welding Inc., 229 Peterson Road, Palmer, MA 01069. Peter Mayberry Jr., same. Welding services.
PITTSFIELD
Kim’s Estate Sales Inc., 561 Elm St., Pittsfield, MA 01201. Kim Barry, same. Conduct estate sales and clean-outs for the purpose of carrying on any business.
SPRINGFIELD
Iglesia Pentecostal De Avivameinto La Ultima Cosecha Inc., 2530 Main St., Springfield, MA 01107. Arcangel Galarza, 2991 Main St., Springfield, MA 01107. Church.
Investers Enterprise Inc., 195 Middle St., Springfield, MA 01104. Wanda Ivellise Lopez, same. Eehan, same. Investment in real estate properties, tax, deed, and certificate property management, and remodeling.
WESTHAMPTON
Meehan Estates Inc. 19 Perry Hill Road, Westhampton, MA 01027. James Meehan, same. Real estate holding company.
WILBRAHAM
Neighborhood Pizza Inc., 2481 Boston Road, Wilbraham, MA 01095. Ilyas Yanbul, 82 Bluebird Circle, Ludlow, MA 01056.
WILLIAMSTOWN
Jozacami Enterprises Inc., 910 Cold Spring Road, Williamstown, MA 01267. Michael Oring, same. Motel facility.
SPRINGFIELD — Mayor Domenic J. Sarno will be traveling to Cambridge today to speak to a group of approximately 100 students interested in urban renewal and economic development. The students are all graduate students at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government with experience in economic development and urban planning. Students have been reviewing case studies in economic development and renewal projects that have worked and failed. Sarno will be speaking about economic development and Springfield’s revitalization. Sarno will be providing a perspective on how to grow and sustain a city in today’s urban America. Topics will include an overview of the city of Springfield and its history, demographics, income, as well as issues relating to: affordable housing, access to transportation, poverty reduction, economic development, and access to quality education. Commenting on the invitation to speak, Sarno stated, “it is an honor to be invited to speak to tomorrow’s leaders. Providing a firsthand account of the tireless work done here in Springfield; from bankruptcy to rebirth during the “great recession”, is remarkable. I look forward to sharing our story with the next generation.”
HADLEY — Florence Bank, a mutually-owned savings bank serving the Pioneer Valley through nione branch locations, celebrated the opening of its new Hadley location at 377 Russell St. On Nov. 15, with local and state officials, and more than 100 customers, friends and well-wishers. Florence Bank CEO John F. Heaps, Jr. and bank officials were joined by State Senate Majority Leader Stan Rosenberg, state Rep. John Scibak, Hadley town administrator David Nixon, and Amherst Chamber Executive Director Don Courtemanche, along with customers, friends and supporters who turned out to welcome the bank to its new home. Scibak and Rosenberg presented Heaps with a proclamation from the Legislature commending Florence Bank on its continued service to the region and its new branch in Hadley.
In addition to the ribbon-cutting, Bank officials officially dedicated their new tractor weathervane, which sits atop the new building, to the Devine family of Hadley. John Devine, who was a lifelong farmer and a member of Hadley’s Planning Board, was instrumental in recommending that the bank consider a cupola and weathervane as part of the new building’s design. Bank officials wanted to do something to honor the memory of Devine, who passed away unexpectedly a year ago. Florence Bank Senior Vice President Sharon Rogalski presented a replica of the weathervane to John Devine Jr., who accepted the gift on behalf of his family. Toby Daniels, vice-president and branch manager of the Hadley Branch, will continue in that role in the new location. “Hadley has been our home for nearly 20 years,” said Heaps. “We are especially pleased to renew our commitment to this community with our new location. We thank our many customers and friends for their ongoing support and look forward to serving everyone for years to come.”
AMHERST – Gov. Deval Patrick today announced $1.5 million in funding to build on his administration’s efforts to make Massachusetts a hub for the emerging water innovation sector. Patrick was joined by UMass Amherst and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) officials as they announced $4.1 million in federal funding for a national center for drinking water innovation at the university. “All over the world and right here at home in the Commonwealth, water challenges are threatening the environment and the economy,” said Patrick. “Investing in the development of water innovation technologies not only protects precious natural resources and public health but creates high-quality local jobs.” The Water Infrastructure Bill, signed by Patrick in August, calls for $1.5 million in investments from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection for water innovation. The federally funded center, announced today by the EPA, will be one of two national research centers focused on testing and demonstrating cutting-edge technologies for small drinking water systems. The Patrick Administration, through MassCEC matched the federal investment with a $100,000 grant. “Under governor Patrick’s leadership, Massachusetts has pursued cost-effective innovations to address environmental concerns,” said Curt Spalding, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regional administrator for New England. “We are very pleased to join the governor as both EPA and the Commonwealth announce investments in further research and technology development at UMass Amherst that will help continue to provide clean and safe drinking water to people.” Providing safe, clean drinking water is critical for maintaining the health and security of the Commonwealth, said UMass Amherst Chancellor Kumble R. Subbaswamy. “Researchers here at UMass Amherst are on the front lines of efforts to make sure that clean water is a reality for all our communities and citizens. This new funding will help the Commonwealth’s flagship campus make an important contribution to this key public need.” During the Massachusetts-Israel Innovation Partnership Mission in May, Patrick announced the winners of the first Massachusetts-Israel Innovation Partnership (MIIP) water innovation challenge. The governor made this announcement with Israeli Chief Scientist Avi Hasson during the U.S.-Israel Connected Summit “Going Global with Water Tech” forum. The MIIP was launched in 2011 as a direct result of governor Patrick’s first Innovation Partnership Mission to Israel. During that ten-day trade mission in March 2011, a coalition of the state’s leading business executives and senior government officials explored growth opportunities of common interest for Massachusetts’ and Israel’s innovation industries. During that mission Patrick and Shalom Simhon, Israeli minister of Economy signed a memorandum of understanding in Jerusalem resulting in this partnership. “Safe, reliable drinking water has always been a critical need. In the 21st Century, we will need to develop new technologies to meet growing demand,” said Congressman Jim McGovern. “I’m pleased that the federal government is joining with the Commonwealth and UMass Amherst in this promising effort.”
SPRINGFIELD — Maura McCaffrey, HNE president & CEO and Mark Keroack, MD, Baystate Health president &
CEO, announced that welcome Carol Campbell and Howard Trietsch, MD have been named to the HNE Board of Directors. Campbell is the president of Chicopee Industrial Contractors, Inc., a company she founded in 1992. She is a member of the Board of Associated Industries of Massachusetts, Chicopee Chamber of Commerce, WestMass Area Development Corporation, and the Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts. She has a distinguished record of community service and leadership, and was recognized as the 2014 Woman of the Year by the Professional Women’s Chamber. She has previously been recognized as a Top 100 Women-led Businesses in Massachusetts, Business of the Year by the Chicopee Chamber of Commerce, a Super 60 Business Growth recipient and a Paul Harris Rotary International honoree. Campbell holds several industry licenses and certifications and is a graduate of University of Massachusetts.
Trietsch is a full-time attending physician at Baystate Ob/Gyn Group Inc., where he has served as managing partner since 1990. Trietsch recently completed his term on the Baystate Health Board of Trustees. He also serves on the BHIC Board and the Baycare Board of Directors, and is well recognized as a local physician leader. Trietsch is a member of many medical societies and serves on community boards including the Springfield Jewish Community Center, the Jewish Geriatric Services and the Jewish Federation of Western Mass. “Ms. Campbell and Dr. Trietsch are both accomplished professionals and exemplary stewards of our community. HNE’s mission is to improve the health status and overall quality of health of our regions,” said McCaffrey. “We are pleased to welcome them to our board and look forward to their contributions to help us fulfill our mission.”
HOLYOKE — The Brightside Angel Campaign has long been a local holiday tradition, offering gifts with special meaning. All proceeds from the annual campaign, now in its 30th year, directly benefit those served by the programs and services of Brightside for Families and Children, now serving more than 580 children, their siblings and their families in their homes and schools with in-home counseling and family support. In addition to the traditional paper Brightside Angels, several items will be available this year including the 30th anniversary edition of the porcelain angel ornament, an angel wind chime, magnets, jewelry items and the return of the angel white chocolate lollipops. These items can be purchased throughout the day at the Holyoke Mall on Nov. 21. Further, the paper Brightside Angels will again be available at all O’Connell’s Convenience Plus locations throughout Western Massachusetts through the generosity of O’Connell’s owner Michael Sobon, the major sponsor of the campaign. “Brightside’s work is at the heart of the Mission of the Sisters of Providence Health System, offering in-home counseling, mentoring, family support and services tailored to the unique needs of each child and their family,” said Diane Dukette, Vice President of Fund Development, Sisters of Providence Health System. “Thanks to the generosity of O’Connell’s Convenience Plus, Michael and Joan Sobon, and many other supporters, Brightside is able to provide services to so many children and families in our community.” For more information, please visit www.brightsideangels.com or call the Fund Development Office at Sisters of Providence Health System, (413) 748-9920.
Berkshire Medical Center and Fairview Hospital have been recognized as 2013 Top Performers on Key Quality Measures by The Joint Commission, the leading accreditor of healthcare organizations in the U.S. BMC and Fairview were recognized as part of The Joint Commission’s 2014 annual report ‘America’s Hospitals: Improving Quality and Safety.’ BMC was cited for attaining and sustaining excellence in accountability measure performance for heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia and surgical care, and Fairview was recognized for pneumonia and surgical care.
BMC and Fairview are among 1,224 hospitals in the United States to achieve the 2013 Top Performer distinction. This is the third straight year BMC and Fairview have been recognized as Joint Commission Top Performers, making them two of only 314 hospitals nationwide to be honored for that consecutive period.
“Berkshire Health Systems has a continual commitment to achieving the highest quality in the delivery of care to our community,” said David Phelps, President and CEO of Berkshire Health Systems. “Over the past several years, BMC and Fairview have implemented evidence-based clinical processes that have been shown to improve care, and the positive outcomes our patients are experiencing are the most important measure of the success of these initiatives. Our results are why independent national organizations, such as The Joint Commission and many others recognize the level of care that BHS, our physicians, nurses and staff provide in critical areas of care. Our community can be confident that the care they receive here, right at home, is the best available.”
The Top Performer program recognizes hospitals for improving performance on evidence-based interventions that increase the chances of healthy outcomes for patients with certain conditions, including heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia, surgical care, children’s asthma, stroke, venous thromboembolism and perinatal care, as well as for inpatient psychiatric services and immunizations.
To be a 2013 top performer, hospitals had to meet three performance criteria based on 2013 accountability measure data, including: Achieving cumulative performance of 95% or above across all reported accountability measures; achieving performance of 95% or above on each and every reported accountability measure where there were at least 30 denominator cases; and having at least one core measure set that had a composite rate of 95% or above, and (within that measure set) all applicable individual accountability measures had a performance rate of 95% or above.
“We understand what matters most to patients at BMC and Fairview is the quality and safety of the care they receive and that is why we have made it a top priority to improve positive patient outcomes through evidence-based care processes,” said Diane Kelly, RN, BMC chief operating officer and Eugene Dellea, Fairview president.
“Delivering the right treatment in the right way at the right time is a cornerstone of high-quality health care. I commend the efforts of Berkshire Medical Center and Fairview Hospital for their excellent performance on the use of evidence-based interventions,” said Mark R. Chassin, MD, FACP, MPP, MPH, president and CEO of the Joint Commission.
WEST SPRINGFIELD — Northeast IT Systems Inc. announced that Gary Rivers has joined its team as a senior systems engineer. Rivers received an associate’s degree in Computer Systems Engineering from Springfield Technical Community College, and has been a business specialist throughout the Northeast. He has more than 10 years of experience in the IT field with numerous industries including manufacturing, medical, emergency services, architecture, and engineering. When he is not working, you can often find Rivers playing instruments such as the saxophone, violin and piano or playing all different types of sports. Even with these various hobbies, his job is where his is his true passion. Rivers enjoys the challenges his job brings, as well as the satisfaction of helping each customer. Rivers states, “When a potential problem is recognized, and the system can be adjusted or it notifies me of an issue before the client even knows about it is very satisfying. It’s like a big toy train set.”
SPRINGFIELD — Representatives from companies that are developing new products to improve healthcare joined leaders from Baystate Health, the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, and a host of elected officials on Nov. 14 to celebrate the opening of TechSpring, Baystate Health’s technology innovation center based in Springfield’s emerging Innovation District.
The facility will match private enterprises with partners and expertise from Baystate to take on some of healthcare’s most difficult challenges.
TechSpring owes its existence in large part to a $5.5 million grant from the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, an investment agency charged with implementing Governor Patrick’s ten year, $1 billion Life Sciences Initiative that supports life sciences innovation, research, development and commercialization. “Being part of the innovation ecosystem that’s developing in downtown Springfield was a major incentive for us in locating here,” said Joel L. Vengco, Baystate Health’s Vice President of Information & Technology and Chief Information Officer. “There is very real potential and a strong foundation in our community for real progress in creating employment and economic opportunities in the areas of healthcare technology and informatics. The fact that these innovators and companies have come here to invest time and resources is a testament to the potential here, and we’re thrilled to be part of it.” TechSpring, which is housed at 1350 Main St. in downtown Springfield, is already hosting work between Baystate and private-industry partners to create new technology solutions and products that could be used to improve health outcomes. TechSpring’s founding sponsors and innovation partners are IBM, Premier Inc., Cerner Corp., Dell, Medecision and Mainline Information Systems. All are engaging in collaborative work and product development in the new space.
“In this space, my colleagues and their industry partners are putting information technology to work in service of better health outcomes for people here in our community and across the nation,” said Dr. Mark A. Keroack, president and CEO of Baystate Health. “They’re also working toward bringing opportunity—a real potential for better economic health—for our city and our community. We’re very proud to be here downtown, and we’re proud of the partnerships on display, with industry, with academia and with government.” In line with Governor Deval Patrick’s vision, the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center has made capital investments from Cape Cod to the Berkshires,” said Massachusetts Secretary of Housing & Economic Development Greg Bialecki. “The investment in TechSpring will help Springfield to benefit from the growth opportunities in our innovation economy.” Baystate Health recently selected Premier, based in Charlotte, N.C., to support TechSpring by integrating payer, provider and other healthcare data from participating innovators within a structured collaborative environment. Using Premier’s integrated business intelligence platform PremierConnect® Enterprise, innovators can easily access and manipulate data for testing and scaling new HIT solutions.
TechSpring offers partners flexible space to work and the ability to collaborate directly with care providers from Baystate Health on their projects, assessing the needs to be met in today’s healthcare environment, and testing potential responses to those needs. Developers can safely and securely pilot software and device technologies in a real-world healthcare environment to determine if their solutions are likely to succeed. Within its 10,000-square-foot downtown Springfield facility, TechSpring also offers co-working, office and event space in flexible month-to-month memberships for anybody working at the intersection of technology and healthcare. Interested parties should sign up for a tour at techspringhealth.org.
CarePort Health, based in Boston, is another innovation partner. CarePort enables providers to optimize post-acute outcomes and costs by guiding patients across the care continuum and tracking their recovery in real-time. It has been implemented in leading health systems, physician groups, accountable care organizations and post-acute providers.
“The strong culture of innovation was what first attracted us to Baystate,” said Dr. Lissy Hu, co-founder and CEO of CarePort. “The creation of TechSpring further demonstrates Baystate’s commitment to improving healthcare delivery and willingness to share its resources with young companies who are tackling healthcare’s most pressing problems. We are excited to continue working with the Baystate Health system to improve post-acute outcomes.” Susan Windham-Bannister, president of the Mass. Life Sciences Center, told those gathered at the grand opening that TechSpring is “a facility where economic development and healthcare come together. “Through our capital program the MLSC has invested more than $300 million across the entire Commonwealth to create resources that strengthen regional capacity for life sciences innovation,” said Windham-Bannister. “The TechSpring facility will be a unique resource that leverages the strengths of Baystate Health, and fosters collaboration with industry in developing new life sciences and health technologies.”
Dr. Evan Benjamin, senior vice president for Healthcare Quality and Population Health at Baystate Health, agreed. “The use of data has long played a key role in influencing our care for individuals; now, we’re really recognizing its potential to improve the quality of care for populations of people,” he said. “The work being done at TechSpring has the potential to make major contributions to our understanding of the best approach to caring for chronic conditions that affect communities here in western Massachusetts, across the country and the world.” Dave Lasseter, Mainline Information Systems vice president, said his company and IBM are proud to be a core partner sponsor of TechSpring. “Not only will Mainline provide operational funding and technical resources to help run and man the Innovation Center but also to develop key use-cases, IP and Analytics which will inevitably lower cost and increase patient outcomes,” he said. “The healthcare solutions developed in the center will allow Baystate, IBM and Mainline to show how other hospitals and healthcare systems can benefit from the use of Big Data and analytics to improve quality of care, control costs and deliver critical reports needed to improve patient care. The goal is to eventually offer cloud- based solutions for smaller regional hospitals and clinics that can’t afford such technology and infrastructure overhead.” Mainline, based in Tallahassee, Fla., recommends, designs, and supports IT solutions that help businesses increase their effectiveness.
Amid the large-scale transition to accountable and value-based care, Medecision is the leading provider of population health and connected care technology, and services for organizations including health plans, hospitals, thousands of physicians and millions of consumers. Medecision is based in Dallas, Los Angeles and Philadelphia. “Medecision is thrilled to be a founding sponsor of TechSpring,” said Deb Gage, the company’s president and chief executive officer. “As care management and care collaboration become more of the standard in patient-centered care, we are looking forward to accelerating the discovery of such population health innovations at TechSpring.” TechSpring’s location in Springfield’s downtown Innovation District provides participants the opportunity to exchange ideas and experiences with other innovators working in close proximity.
HOLYOKE — This December, Wistariahurst museum will host a fun-filled Holiday Tea, as well as a weekend of Nutcracker performances.
The Holiday Tea is slated for Saturday, Dec. 7 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Sip tea in Belle’s beautiful music room accompanied by live music played on the grand piano by local pianist David Stukus. See the historic mansion in festive décor, and enjoy a select variety of teas and luscious sweets. Tickets are $10 for members, $12 for non-members, and can be purchased online at www.wistariahurst.org or by calling the museum at (413) 322-5660.
The museum will also present “Nutcracker & Sweets” with the Massachusetts Academy of Ballet on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, Dec. 12, 13, and 14. Join us in imaging the ballet as it might have been produced in the 1890s when the Skinner family lived at Wistariahurst. Student dancers will perform the magical story filled with lively choreography and accompanied by Tchaikovsky’s enchanting score. Sparkling dancers and sugarplum fairies will alight, mice will scamper, snowflakes will scatter, colorful nutcracker soldiers will march, and more.
This event is sponsored by New England Public Radio and the NEPR News Network. For show times, visit www.wistariahurst.org or call the museum at (413) 322-5660. Reservations are necessary. Tickets cost $12.50, or $3.50 for children 8 and under (children are seated on the floor).
SPRINGFIELD — More than 100 choral voices, an audience sing-along, and a chorus line of tap-dancing Santas — all that and more is on the slate for the Springfield Symphony Orchestra’s annual “Home for the Follidays” concert at Symphony Hall. On Dec. 6, guest conductor Harvey Felder will lead members of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra and renowned Jeans ‘n’ Classics vocalists Gavin Hope and Andrea Koziol in delivering a festive musical celebration with a hint of rock.
The evening’s holiday performance will continue this year’s partnership with Jeans ‘n’ Classics, star performers in the arts and entertainment scene, who combine popular sounds with the power of a world-class symphony. The evening will combine such Christmas standards as “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” and “The Christmas Song”; Hanukkah favorites including “Unending Flame” and “Hal’lulu”; and seasonal selections like “Let it Snow” and “Sleigh Ride.” The Jeans ‘n’ Classics vocalists will lend their talents to orchestral arrangements of “I Listen to the Bells,” “Santa Baby,” and more. The show will also feature the return of the SSO’s Tap Dancing Santas, under the direction of choreographer and dance instructor David Michael Bovat, plus special guest cantor Martin Levson from Sinai Temple in Springfield, as well as a visit from St. Nick himself.
The evening will also feature the SSO’s 12th annual silent auction, a fund-raising event that benefits its educational and outreach programs. Auction items include spa packages, ski lift tickets, a getaway weekend, restaurant gift cards, and much more. Items will be available for browsing and bidding before the performance and during intermission, and winning bidders may claim their items immediately following the concert.
The SSO will also continue its tradition of supporting Springfield’s Children’s Study Home with a toy drive. On concert night, audience members are encouraged to make the holidays a little happier for local families in need by bringing a donation of a new, unwrapped toy. Collection bins will be available on the lobby level at Symphony Hall.
“Home for the Follidays” will begin at 7:30 p.m., with doors opening at 6 p.m. The show’s guest sponsors are Lenox and Big Y, whil the guest artist sponsors are the Gaudreau Group and DIF Design. Media Sponsors are ABC40 and BusinessWest. MassMutual Financial Group is the official sponsor of the 71st concert season. For group and individual tickets, call the Springfield Symphony Box Office at (413) 733-2291 or visit in person at 1350 Main St., Springfield. Tickets are also available online at tickets.springfieldsymphony.org.
HOLYOKE — CISA (Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture) will present a broad-ranging panel discussion, titled “Our Farms, Our Food: the Future of Local Food in Hampden County,” concerning the future of local agriculture and the local food movement in Hampden County, on Wednesday, Nov. 19, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Holyoke Senior Center.
A region with rural farmland, changing suburban landscapes, and vibrant urban-agriculture projects, Hampden County has unique challenges and opportunities for farmers and for consumers interested in local food, hunger, and sustaining farm businesses and land. Speakers include Elizabeth O’Gilvie of Gardening the Community, Gene Kosinski of Kosinski Farms, Karen Randall of Randall’s Farm and Greenhouse, and Margaret Christie of CISA.
This event is free and open to the public, and light appetizers will be provided. To RSVP by Nov. 17 or for more information, contact Claire Morenon at (413) 665-7100, ext. 16.
AMHERST — A new grant will allow fisheries oceanographer Molly Lutcavage, director of the Large Pelagics Research Center (LPRC) at UMass Amherst’s Gloucester Marine Research Station, with postdoctoral fellow Angelia Vanderlaan and colleagues, to design, conduct, and analyze the first autonomous aerial vehicle surveys of Atlantic bluefin tuna to provide fishery-independent regional estimates of their numbers.
Funded recently by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) with a one-year, $145,694 grant, she and her team will develop new analytical techniques next season to provide a more quantitative method of estimating the size and number of individuals within surface schools of the most important commercial tuna species in the Atlantic. At present, these estimates are made subjectively by observers and/or spotter pilots.
“The goal is to combine high-resolution, aerial imagery taken using an unmanned aerial vehicle with sonar acoustic surveys to improve the quality of Atlantic bluefin tuna-stock assessments,” said Lutcavage. “To achieve this, we’ll need to complete some smaller pilot studies to make sure the techniques we plan to use are giving us accurate information and to allow us to remove biases inherent in aerial surveys.”
Lutcavage’s research group is one of NOAA’s pilot research groups in the use of a hexacopter, or remote-controlled aerial vehicle, to study fish in natural conditions at sea. These small, maneuverable craft carry a high-resolution camera mounted in the belly, to hover over schools of tuna, allowing researchers to photograph and later count individuals in the group. Coupled with sonar, the new aerial survey tool should offer an unmatched, detailed picture of bluefin tuna populations in the north Atlantic. They nicknamed their aerial vehicle WASABI, for Water Imaging Aerial Surveying Automated Biological Instrument.
“We are doing this work in collaboration with NOAA’s Northeast Fisheries Science Center fisheries acoustics expert, Mike Jech, and University of New Hampshire Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping staff — sonar expert Tom Weber and aerial ocean mosaic mapping expert Yuri Rzhanov,” she said. “It’s the result of a 20-year attempt to focus on developing direct assessment capability.”
As usual for the LPRC, Lutcavage’s Gloucester-based research team will collaborate with long-term tuna-research partners and stars of television’s Wicked Tuna series, Captain Bill “Hollywood” Muniz and his spotter, Mark Brochu. Wayne Perryman, leader of a NOAA project using hexacopters to study killer whales off the coast of British Columbia, is advising the UMass Amherst group on this project.
WILBRAHAM — Monson Savings Bank will conduct a complimentary workshop titled “Market Update & End of Year Investment Strategies” on Tuesday, Dec. 2, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at the Gardens of Wilbraham at 2301 Boston Road, Wilbraham.
This event, free and open to the public, will be presented by Steven Russo, CFA, executive vice president and senior investment officer at Plimoth Investment Advisors. The event is designed to give people an informed, objective, and balanced explanation of what’s going on with the markets and in our economy.
“We’re very pleased to be offering this event at this time, particularly given the recent volatility in the stock market,” said Steven Lowell, President of Monson Savings Bank. “Steve Russo is extremely knowledgeable, a good speaker, and he has no agenda other than to provide objective information.”
Russo has the overall responsibility for directing investment policy and managing the day-to-day activities of the investment team at Plimoth Investment Advisors. He has more than 20 years of experience in managing investment portfolios and has worked at some of the largest investment institutions worldwide. At Plimoth Investment Advisors, he works with both individual and institutional investment clients, determining asset-allocation policy, conducting security analysis, and managing client portfolios to meet their specific needs and circumstances. He holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and a master’s degree in finance, both from Suffolk University. He is a recipient of the chartered financial analyst (CFA) designation.
Those interested in attending may RSVP by contacting Anna Driscoll at (413) 267-1221 or [email protected]. Seating is limited, and refreshments will be served.
WILLIAMSTOWN — Marilyn and Carl Faulkner, former owners of the Williams Inn in Williamstown, were awarded the NEIRA Life Membership Award at the NEIRA (New England Inns and Resorts Assoc.) annual meeting.
The Faulkners owned and managed a number of inns and hotels throughout New England. Carl attended Bentley University and began his career in hospitality shortly after graduating, starting out as a lobby porter, followed by an elevator operator, and then a relief doorman. By 1965, he was assistant manager of a Ramada Inn, advancing to general manager by 1967.
Carl and Marilyn were married in 1967, and in 1968 they began running their first inn, the Governor Bradford Motor Inn in Plymouth. The Faulkners, staples in the New England hospitality industry for decades, began managing the Williams Inn in 1979, running the property until their retirement in 2014. They received the award for their tourism-industry work and participation with NEIRA throughout their careers.
NEIRA is a collection of more than 250 independently owned and operated lodging properties throughout New England. NEIRA life members are individuals who have been active members of the association for at least 10 years and have since retired from the hospitality business.
Today, the Williams Inn is owned by Williams College and managed by Main Street Hospitality Group. For more information, call (413) 458-9371 or visit www.williamsinn.com.
PITTSFIELD — Berkshire Bank Foundation announced that it has awarded $46,225 in grants to nine Pioneer Valley nonprofit organizations during its third-quarter grant cycle. The grant receipients include:
• Amherst Survival Center, to support its Emergency Food Pantry Summer Boost program;
• Holyoke Community College, to support its Center for Health Education outreach programs;
• Jewish Geriatric Services in Longmeadow, to support its Project Transformation campaign;
• Springfield Boys & Girls Club, to support its Teen Enrichment Program;
• Girls Inc. of Holyoke, to support its Literacy First Initiative;
• HAP Inc. in Springfield, to support its First Time Homebuyer and Counseling program;
• YMCA of Greater Springfield, to support its Early Learning Center revitalization project;
• Springfield Symphony Orchestra, to support its Education Connection concert series; and
• Springfield Partners for Community Action, to support its first-time homebuyer program.
“We are excited to make grant awards to these diverse nonprofit organizations that are all doing important work to contribute to the economic, education, and social vitality of our Pioneer Valley community,” said Lori Gazzillo, vice president and foundation director. “We are proud to play a small role in all of their efforts and look forward to working together to make our communities stronger.”
In addition to financial support, the X-TEAM, the bank’s award-winning employee-volunteer program, provides employees with paid time off to volunteer during regular business hours. In 2013, 70% of Berkshire Bank’s employees donated in excess of 40,000 hours of service to benefit community organizations across the bank’s service area. Due to its substantial commitment to the community through financial support and corporate volunteerism, Berkshire Bank was recognized by Boston Business Journal as one of Massachusetts’ most charitable companies.
HOLYOKE — Meyers Brothers Kalicka, P.C. announced the membership of Senior Associate Thomas Dowling in the Assoc. of Certified Fraud Examiners. Requirements for the certification include meeting the ACFE’s character, experience, and educational requirements and demonstrating knowledge in four areas critical to the fight against fraud: fraudulent financial transactions, fraud prevention and deterrence, legal elements of fraud, and fraud investigation.
“Fraud is a real issue for all organizations,” Dowling said. “As a certified fraud examiner, I am looking to help organizations understand fraud, assess their fraud risks, and provide tools and services to prevent, detect, and correct fraudulent behaviors.”
Howard Cheney, MBK partner and director of Auditing and Accounting, called Dowling “a great asset to the firm. With his new certification, he can provide our clients with the vigilant protection they need in today’s business landscape.”
Dowling graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in accountancy from Bentley University and continued at Bentley to earn his master’s degree in taxation, graduating with high distinction. In addition to his new ACFE certification, he is a member of AICPA, MSCPA, and the Beta Gamma Sigma International Business Honor Society. He can be reached at (413) 322-3494 or [email protected].
WEST SPRINGFIELD — Kathy Picard, the recipient of the 2014 William Pynchon Award, will be honored Thursday, Nov. 20 from 6 to 9 p.m. at Chez Joseph in Agawam.
The honor, bestowed annually since 1915 by the Advertising Club of Western Massachusetts, recognizes individuals from the region who have demonstrated exceptional community service with compassion, humility, and grace. A survivor of child sexual abuse, Picard has transformed her painful past into community activism aimed at raising awareness in all areas of child safety, using her strength and activism to help change laws, improve resources, and put better protection in place. She will be inducted into the Order of William Pynchon during the 99th annual program, becoming the 200th distinguished individual to be presented with the award.
The awards program, emceed by WWLP 22News anchor Rich Tettemer, begins at 7 p.m. following a cocktail hour from 6 to 7 p.m. Seating is available at $70 per person, and tables of 10 are available. To make a reservation, call (413) 736-2582, e-mail [email protected], or register online at adclubwm.org/events.
NORTHAMPTON — The trees in the Healing Garden at Cooley Dickinson Hospital will again be aglow this holiday season, and a lighting ceremony on Sunday, Nov. 23, at 4:30 p.m., will kick off the 15th annual Trees of Love & Thanksgiving fund-raising campaign.
Community members are invited to remember or honor a loved one through a donation of $15 per individual to the Trees of Love & Thanksgiving, a project of the Cooley Dickinson Hospital Auxiliary and Pastoral Care. Proceeds from this annual fund-raising initiative support the purchase of equipment that enhances patient care at Cooley Dickinson. Funds raised in 2014 will provide infant car beds, which are critical to ensuring the safety of underweight babies, and will support an infusion bay in the hospital’s new comprehensive Mass General Cancer Center at Cooley Dickinson Hospital. Previous Trees of Love campaigns have supported 3-D mammography, which provides earlier cancer detection; and infant car beds.
Those wishing to donate can pick up a form at any hospital information desk or download a form. In addition to lights on the trees in the Healing Garden, the names of those being honored and remembered will be posted in the corridor adjacent to the hospital’s main lobby.
The Cooley Dickinson Auxiliary supports the hospital in its commitment to provide quality healthcare for the community through volunteerism, fund-raising, and advocacy. For more information, e-mail [email protected].
SPRINGFIELD — The new Springfield Central Cultural District will stage its first major event, “Plug into the Creative Valley,” on Tuesday, Nov. 18, from 6 to 8 p.m. The free event will be held at the Springfield Central Library Rotunda, 220 State St., Springfield.
This is an opportunity for creative-minded individuals to connect to new opportunities and take part in envisioning the cultural district. The evening will include appetizers, White Lion beer, networking, interactive idea mapping, the opportunity to learn about becoming a member, and a chance to meet the cultural district director, Katy Moonan.
“I am very excited to have the chance to meet area artists and those who value and support art in Springfield,” Moonan said. “I hope everyone puts this on their calendars. I believe the power of an arts-enriched community lends itself to economic growth opportunities for our beautiful city.”
Free parking is available at 21 Edwards St. (at the Springfield Museums Welcome Center). The event is sponsored by the Springfield Business Improvement District and White Lion Brewing Co.
AGAWAM — Two Massachusetts businesses were selected as Employer of Choice Award recipients by the Employers Assoc. of the NorthEast (EANE). Paragus Strategic IT of Hadley and R.H. White Construction Companies, based in Auburn, received their awards at EANE’s Employment Law and HR Practices Conference on Nov. 4.
Winners of the Employer of Choice Award are recognized for developing a culture for transforming and rewarding employee performance. Entrants are judged in categories that include company culture, training and development, communication, recognition and reward, and work-life balance.
“Both R.H. White and Paragus have succeeded in creating amazing workplace cultures which maximize employee engagement, creativity, and organizational success,” said Meredith Wise, president of EANE. “They are truly connected to their communities, contributing financially as well as with staff time and talent to various charities and events.”
Paragus Strategic IT employees attend 90 to 100 hours of learning and development each year. In 2012, the company was ranked by Inc. magazine as one of the 5,000 fastest-growing companies in the country. R.H. White Construction Companies celebrated its 90th anniversary last year with a goal to raise $90,000 for local charities; the company actually raised $156,000. It provides more than $700,000 in safety-related training to employees annually.
Employers who have been in business for at least three years and have a minimum of 25 employees are eligible to participate; both the company size and its resources are considered in the screening and selection process. Sponsored by EANE and the Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce, the award has been given since 2011.
SPRINGFIELD — Springfield Falcons Director of Hockey Operations Bruce Landon will be recognized for his accomplishments and contributions to hockey in Massachusetts with an induction into the Massachusetts Hockey Hall of Fame today.
Landon has a strong history with hockey in the Springfield area. He first came to Springfield in 1969, where he made his American Hockey League debut as a goaltender with the Springfield Kings. The Kingston, Ontario native spent the 1969-70, 1970-71, and 1971-72 seasons with the Kings. He appeared in 15 regular-season games when the team won the Calder Cup in 1971. From 1972 to 1977, Landon split time with the New England Whalers of the WHA, the Cape Codders of the NAHL, and the Jacksonville Barons and Rhode Island Reds, both of the AHL. He returned to Springfield for his final professional season with the Indians in 1977.
Following his retirement, Landon remained involved in local hockey. He held various positions within the Indians front office and was part of the organization during its 1990 and 1991 Calder Cup victories. In 1994, Landon helped found the Springfield Falcons franchise, which is entering its 21st season.
The 20th annual induction ceremony and dinner will be held at the Montvale Plaza in Stoneham at 6 p.m. Along with Landon, Jack Kelley, Edward “Ted” Cunniff, George Owen, Ed Barry, and Bernie Burke will be part of the 2014 class. Veteran sports broadcaster and 2008 Massachusetts Hockey Hall of Fame inductee Dave Shea will serve as the master of ceremonies.
Inductees to the Massachusetts Hockey Hall of Fame are chosen on the basis of accomplishments in the game of hockey, sportsmanship, character, and contributions to teams or organizations in college, amateur, or professional hockey, or on international teams representing the U.S. Each nominee must have distinguished himself or herself by exceptional performance and outstanding character reflecting favorably upon the game of hockey in Massachusetts, and be in good public standing in the community, an appropriate role model for young hockey players, and an exemplary representative of the game of hockey.
WARE — In 1914, the Ford Motor Co. announced an eight-hour workday and a minimum wage of $5 for that day’s labor, baseball legend Babe Ruth made his major-league debut with the Boston Red Sox, and the Baystate Visiting Nurse Assoc. was born. Country Bank congratulates the Baystate VNA & Hospice on being a valued member of the community for more than 100 years and has joined in the celebration with a donation of $20,000 to help the organization continue to provide care to those in need.
“We are so fortunate to have the BVNAH in our area caring for our friends and neighbors right in their own homes,” said Shelley Regin, the bank’s first vice president and director of marketing. “We are proud to support the VNA with this milestone event.”
Country Bank, serving Central and Western Mass. with 15 offices, is a full-service, mutual savings bank and a member of FDIC, DIF, and the SUM network. For more information, visit www.countrybank.com or call (800) 322-8233.
WEST SPRINGFIELD — Just in time for the holidays, and in celebration of the eighth anniversary of the practice’s West Springfield location, the surgeons and staff at Eye and LASIK Center will perform free LASIK for 10 individuals during the month of December.
“The Gift of Sight is an opportunity for us to give back to our very supportive community in Western and Central Massachusetts,” said Dr. Pierre Alfred, medical director at Eye and LASIK. The life-changing opportunity, open to any Massachusetts resident, asks people to submit a brief application detailing why they want or need LASIK surgery. Applicants may also upload a video application via the company’s website.
“From a new mom’s frustration with glasses, to an upcoming wedding, to a soldier headed overseas, we’ve heard some really amazing stories so far,” said Dr. John Warren, partner and surgeon at Eye and LASIK Center. “LASIK is a life-changing procedure, and we couldn’t be more excited to be part of that process for these 10 individuals.”
Eye and LASIK Center has five locations, including West Springfield, Athol, Gardner, Greenfield, and Shelburne Falls. Applications and contest details are available at all practice locations, or online at eyeandlasik.com/giftofsight. The application deadline is Nov. 28, and the free LASIK procedures will be performed on Dec. 18. For more information, contact Dee Letourneau at (413) 774-7016 or [email protected].
SPRINGFIELD — The Affiliated Chambers of Commerce of Greater Springfield (ACCGS) will stage its 25th annual Super 60 recognition celebration on Friday, Nov. 14 at Chez Josef in Agawam. The event’s keynote speaker will be John Maguire, president and CEO of Friendly’s, LLC. The program starts at 11 a.m. with a VIP reception for honorees in the Tivoli Room. Lunch will begin at noon, followed by the keynote speech and the awards presentation. For more information or to order tickets, call the chamber at (413) 787-1555.
AMHERST — The University of Massachusetts created six new startup companies within the past year, its best-ever annual performance, and set new records for patent applications and the number of faculty members disclosing inventions, President Robert Caret said.
The new companies reflect the university’s increased focus on coaching, mentoring, and providing other services and support to help researchers start businesses. Also, for the eighth straight year, UMass generated more than $30 million in licensing income, enough to ensure that the university maintains its perch in national surveys of universities with the highest licensing income derived from academic research.
“Our success is proof that the leading-edge research performed by our distinguished faculty and the high-performing students who work alongside them is growing every day in relevance and importance,” Caret said. “We want to accelerate these efforts because this research — and the new treatments, products, services, and companies it spawns — adds tremendous value to society and impacts the quality of life in Massachusetts.”
In addition to the six new startups, the UMass recorded 157 patent applications and 180 faculty invention disclosures for fiscal year 2014, which ended June 30. In all three categories, it was the university’s best-ever yearly performance. The university also was granted 54 patents for ideas that have the potential to be commercialized. UMass generated more than $31 million in licensing revenue in fiscal year 2014. The six companies spun out of UMass inventions this year were:
• Felsuma, “Geckskin Adhesive Technology,” by Al Crosby and Duncan Irshick, professors at UMass Amherst. Felsuma is commercializing a new technology, Geckskin, licensed from UMass Amherst. Geckskin is a three-dimensional, transformational adhesive that can attach and release repeatedly from multiple surfaces with high bonding strength. It is based on technology developed in the laboratories of Crosby in Polymer Science and Irschick in Biology. The major markets are large and include clothing, shoes, households, medical devices, military, and construction. The company is headed by Rana Gupta, an entrepreneur and former venture capitalist.
• Aha! Productions/Innovation Accelerator, “Obscure Features Hypothesis,” by Joseph McCaffrey from UMass Amherst. The company licenses UMass software technology that is useful in creativity and invention processes. The firm’s first product, Analogy Finder, offers a software package that seeks to rationalize the process of creativity and invention. The software seeks out analogous solutions to problems by hunting through patent databases, research libraries, and other sources. Innovation Accelerator is headed by James Pearson, an alumnus of UMass Amherst’s Mechanical and Engineering Department.
• Sonation, “Expert System for Musical Accompaniment,” by Chris Raphael from UMass Amherst. The company is developing music software technology that transforms singing and playing instruments into a more interactive, fun experience. It is creating apps that simulate playing with a full band or orchestra that listens and responds to the user’s style. The first product, Cadenza, is available at the iStore for use on the iPad. The product, to be introduced in the next two years, will expand the application to other devices, instruments, and available music. The company is headed by Ann Chao, a Harvard MBA and former strategy consultant.
• Voyager Therapeutics, “RNA Interference,” by Phil Zamore, Guangping Gao, Neil Aronin, and others at UMass Medical School. The company is developing gene-therapy methods to treat several important neurological diseases, including ALS, Parkinson’s disease, and Huntington’s disease. Voyager will focus on adeno-associated virus as the vector and will try to effect gene replacement or gene knockdown to effect the relevant protein production. The company, financed by $45 million in funding from a venture capitalist, will be located in Cambridge.
• TATT, LLC, “Use of siRNA to Preserve Organs for Transplant,” by Timothy Kowalik and Marc Uknis, professors at UMass Medical School. The company is based on technology, developed by Kowalik and Uknis, that relates to the use of siRNA to improve organs being used for transplantation by minimizing organ rejection, transplantation-mediated transmission of viral infection, and the triggering of apoptosis in transplanted tissue.
• Agalimmune Ltd., “Cancer Immunotherapy,” by Dr. Uri Galili from UMass Medical School. The company is developing innovative immunotherapies for the treatment of solid tumors based on Galili’s work. The company is based in London and California and has received initial funding from Loxbridge Research, LLP and Animatrix Capital, LLP. Dr. Giles Whalen, professor of Surgical Oncology at UMass Medical School, is working with the company to bring its first product, Alphaject Technology, to clinics.
WESTFIELD — Baystate Dental P.C., with 13 locations in the Greater Springfield region, recently received the 2014 Westfield Preservation Award from the Westfield Historical Commission for the renovation and repurposing of its former Morgan-Way House at 29 Broad St. in Westfield.
Nominated by the board of Westfield on the Weekends Inc., Baystate Dental P.C., owned and operated by Drs. Kevin Coughlin, Matthew Haluch, and Gary Circosta, were presented the award at City Hall on Oct. 23. Members of Baystate Dental, the Westfield Historical Commission, and the board of Westfield on the Weekends were all present. The Preservation Award recognizes those who have contributed to preserving Westfield’s heritage and historical integrity.
The Morgan-Way house, built in the 1820s, has a rich history, but in recent years had fallen into disrepair and was slated to be demolished. Baystate Dental purchased the property and rehabilitated and restored the structure while preserving the architectural integrity of the building. The former home is now a thriving dental practice, and the structure remains a historical stalwart of Westfield’s Park Square.
